President Loren
1 1 1 1 tttttltini'
/ Top to bottom: R, WayBe-Shut^^
/ Lynn McKinlay, D. Chris Poulos,
Roy Doxey, Ivan J. Barrett, Steve
Govey, Elaine Cannon.
BYU brings the world to your doorstep!
Ever since Brigham Young University began calling
the world its campus, BYU leaders have literally
been dropping out of the sky. On places like Snowflake.
Atlanta. Modesto. Denver. This summer, for
instance, BYU will drop off its finest talent— some
125 instructors— in 54 communities from
Pittsburgh to Palo Alto.
Education Week is what it's all about. A powerful
package of inspiration (and down-to-earth
know-how) from America's largest private
university. Religious values in a scientific world.
Music in the home. Propaganda and public
pressure. Latter-day Saint principles. Heroines
of the Church. In fact, scores of
subjects to live by, serve by, improve by.
For you. At your doorstep.
Education Week is coming to your community:
ARIZONA SOUTHWEST
Las Vegas, June 1 ,3,4
Mesa, June 6,7,8
Scottsdale, June 10,1 1,12
Phoenix, June 13,14,15
El Paso, June 17,18,19
Snowflake, June 22,24,25
Albuquerque, August 24,26,27
COLORADO
Denver, June 6,7,8
EASTERN
Washington, D.C., June 1,3,4
Atlanta, June 6,7,8
Pittsburgh, June 10,11
UTAH
Sugar House, S L , June 6,7,8
BYU Program June 11,12,13.14
Ogden, June 11,12,13
Downtown S L , June 20,21,22
Jordan Valley, August 8,9,10
Logan, September 3,4,5
WESTERN CANADIAN
Edmonton, June 15,17,18
Calgary, June 20,21,22
Lethbridge, June 24,25,26
EAST CENTRAL WASHINGTON
Moses Lake, June 17,18,19
Richland, June 20,21,22
Spokane, June 24,25,26
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Klamath - Medford, June 15,17
Tacoma, June 20,21,22
Seattle, June 24,25.26
IDAHO
Rexburg, June 6,7,8
Idaho Falls, June 10,11,12
Pocatello, June 13,14,15
Preston, June 6,7,8
Blackfoot, June 10,11,12
Montpelier, June 13,14,15
Boise, July 8,9,10
Ontario - Weiser, July 11,12,13
Twin Falls, July 15,16,17
Burley, July 18,19,20
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Sacramento, July 8,9,10
Oakland, July 11,12,13
Palo Alto, July 15,16,17
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
San Fernando, July 22,23,24
Glendale, July 25,26,27
Santa Monica, July 29,30 31
East Long Beach, August 1,2,3
Anaheim, August 5,6,7
West Covina, August 8,9,10
San Diego, July 8,9
Riverside, July 12,13
Rialto, July 15,16
Santa Barbara. July 17,18
Santa Maria, July 22,23
Fresno, July 26,27
Modesto. July 29,30
COLONIA- JUAREZ
October 17,18,19
BYU EDUCATION WEEKS
Theme for 1968
The World
is our Campus
Cover Note
Reproductions of color portraits
of the four brethren who received
new assignments among the Gen-
eral Authorities at April confer-
ence make up our cover. The
photographs were taken by Saan's
Studio in Salt Lake City. See addi-
tional photographs and stories on
pages 8-11.
Official organ of the Priesthood Quorums, Mutual Improvement Associations
Home Teaching Committee. Music Committee. Church School System, and
other agencies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
The Improvement Era, 79 South State, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
The Voice of the Church
May 1968
Volume 71, No. 5
Special Features
May 1968
2 Editor's Page, The Gospel Is Our Anchor, David 0. McKay
4 Burn the Book, Don Vincent di Francesca
8 Four Sustained to New Callings, Jay M. Todd
12 Is Censorship the Answer? Dr. M. Dallas Burnett
15 Evils of Obscene Materials, J. Edgar Hoover
18 Sketches on the Papyri Backings, Dr. T. Edgar Lyon
47 Good Thoughts, John Randolph Stidman
50 A Letter to Mother, William T. Sykes
54 A New Look at the Pearl of Great Price: Part 2, May We See Your
Credentials? Dr. Hugh Nibley
58 Extra Salaries, Dr. Quinn G. McKay
62 Cultural and Spiritual Influences of the Bible, Robert J. Matthews
Regular Features
30 Teaching: Uncommon Teaching of the Common, Don F. Colvin
48 The LDS Scene
52 The Presiding Bishopric's Page: The Presiding Bishop Talks to Parents,
John H. Vandenberg
60 Lest We Forget: The Manti Temple, Albert L. Zobell, Jr.
68 Today's Family: A Mother Ten Feet Tall, Florence B. Pinnock
71 Home, Sweet Home
72 Buffs and Rebuffs
74 The Church Moves On
77 These Times: The British Cutback, Dr. G. Homer Durham
80 End of an Era
51, 66, 73, 75 The Spoken Word, Richard L. Evans
Era of Youth
33-46 Marion D. Hanks and Elaine Cannon, Editors
Fiction, Poetry
24 Firstling of the Flock, Amy Hillyard Jensen
16, 28, 51, 74 Poetry
David 0. McKay add Richard L Evans. Editors; Doyle L, Green, Managing Editor; Albert L. Zobell, Jr., Research Editor; Mabel Jones Gabbott, Jay M. Todd.
Eleanor Knowles. William T. Sykes, Editorial Associates; Florence B. Pinnock. Today's Family Editor; Marion D. Hanks, Era of Youth Editor; Elaine Cannon,
Era of Youth Associate Editor; Ralph Reynolds, Art Director; Norman F. Price. Staff Artist,
G. Homer Durham, Franklin S. Harris, Jr., Hugh Nibley, Sidney B. Sperry, Albert L. Payne, Contributing Editors,
G. Carlos Smith, Jr., General Manager: Florence S. Jacobsen, Associate General Manager; Verl F. Scott, Business Manager; A. Glen Snarr, Acting Business
Manager and Subscription Director; Thayer Evans, S. Glenn Smith. Advertising Representatives.
©General Superintendent, Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1968, and published by the
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act of October 1917. authorized July 2, 1918.
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The Gospel Is Our Anchor
The Editor's Page
By President David O. McKay
• Members of the Church are admonished to ac-
quire truth by study, and also by faith and prayer,
and to seek after everything that is virtuous, lovely,
of good report, or praiseworthy.
Indeed, one of the fundamental teachings of the
Church is that salvation itself depends upon knowl-
edge, for, as we are told through revelation, "It is
impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance" (D&C
131:6), and again, ". . . if a person gains more knowl-
edge and intelligence in this life through his diligence
and obedience than another, he will have so much
the advantage in the world to come." (D&C 130:19.)
Insinuations made to the young who are yet un-
decided as to what are the most important things in
life may shake the faith of youth, and "youth without
faith is as day without sun."
Schools and churches should radiate the fact that
there are in life certain fundamentals that never
change and that are essential to the happiness of every
human soul.
Parents and officers in the Church must teach more
earnestly and diligently the principles of life and salva-
tion to the youth of Zion and to the world in order to
help youth keep in proper balance through the forma-
tive period of their lives.
Gaining knowledge is one thing, and applying it,
quite another. Wisdom is the right application of
knowledge, and true education— the education for
which the Church stands— is the application of knowl-
edge to the development of a noble and Godlike
character.
A man may possess a profound knowledge of history
and of mathematics; he may be an authority in psy-
chology, biology, or astronomy; he may know all the
discovered truths pertaining to geology and natural
science; but if he has not with this knowledge that
nobility of soul which prompts him to deal justly with
his fellowmen, to practice virtue and holiness in his
personal life, he is not a truly educated man.
The development of character is the aim of true
education; and science, history, and literature are but
means used to accomplish this desired end. Character
is not developed as the result of chance; it comes as
a result of continuous right thinking and right
acting.
True education seeks, then, to make men and women
not only good mathematicians, proficient linguists,
profound scientists, or brilliant literary lights, but
also men who are honest, who have virtue, temper-
ance, and brotherly love— men and women who prize
truth, justice, wisdom, benevolence, and self-control
as the choicest acquisitions of a successful life.
The Latter-day Saints are a people of strong con-
victions; and convictions of the truth are the strongest,
most potent forces in the world. It has been truly said
that no historic event is so important as the advent of
a conviction of a new truth.
If I were to couch in definite terms two of the most
potent convictions in the hearts of the Latter-day
Saints, I would name: first, an abiding assurance that
the gospel as taught by the Redeemer when he lived
among men, and which was later modified, changed,
and corrupted by men, has been restored by the Re-
deemer in its purity and fullness; and second, a con-
viction in the heart of every member of this Church
that the responsibility rests upon the membership of
the Church to preach the restored gospel to every
nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
Improvement Era
There always have been, in every dispensation,
opportunities for men and women to receive the good
news — the gospel of Jesus Christ— and the prophets
who have been in tune with the Infinite and who heard
first and directly that good news have had imposed
upon them the responsibility to convey the gospel to
their fellowmen, that those who are concerned with
the things of the world might receive the glad message,
and be brought into the environment of peace, har-
mony, and goodwill. In this dispensation, that same
responsibility has been given to man.
I sometimes think that in our minds we put off the
responsibility of giving that message. That is, if we
are called as missionaries abroad, we feel it our duty
to proclaim the glad message to the world.- If we are
called to preside in an organization, or in a branch, or
in a quorum, then we feel it our duty to give the good
news to those over whom we preside. We wait until
some special opportunity is given to proclaim the
gospel of Jesus Christ, and yet the duty devolves upon
us to proclaim that good news every day of our lives.
We proclaim the gospel in our acts — in the home,
in business, in social circles, in politics; everywhere
that we mingle with men we have the responsibility
resting upon us to give the good news to the people
of the world.
I do not mean that we must formally preach the
doctrine under all these circumstances, but I do mean
that in our lives, in our conversations, we can bear the
gospel message to the people of the world.
One of the best ways of building up our home, be
it a domicile, a city, a state, or a nation, is to always
speak well of that home, city, state, or nation. Let the
tongue be under control and speak well of the home. I
have rejoiced time and time again, while visiting with
members from different parts of the Church, and with
people from different places in the world, to hear them
talk about the great things with which God has blessed
their area, and they sometimes take time to enumerate
them. They have a spirit of contentment about them.
And it is good.
But we must always see the whole picture of what
surrounds us. We must always recognize the good for
what it is, and the evil must also be so recognized.
Then we must take the high stand of right, remember-
ing that the gospel of Jesus Christ is one of glad
tidings. Preach it, live it in your acts. We can always
take the higher stand of truth, the stand of the gospel,
and we must.
The gospel is our anchor. We know what it stands
for. If we live it and feel it, and if we speak well
of it, of the priesthood, of the Church authorities, and
of our neighbors, we shall feel happier ourselves, and
we shall be preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Everyone can do this. It is possible. God has not asked
us to do it and then deprived us of the power necessary
to accomplish it.
To you young people who are working away from
home and parents, to you who may enter college this
fall, and to you whose chosen vocations or obligations
have already taken you to the various places of the
earth, I would say: Stay close to the Church; find
activity in it. Stay close to the Lord. Go to him in
prayer each morning and evening. Ask him to guide
you and bless you in what you are doing. He is your
great source of strength. His promises are great, and
are fulfilled to his sons and daughters who make them-
selves worthy of them. 0
May 1968
was born September 23, 1888, in the town of
Gratteri, province of Palermo, Sicily, a son of Joseph
D. and Marianne D. Maria Francesca. On February
22, 1892, my mother passed away; and with my brother
Antonine and my sister Josephine. T went to live with
my mother's parents.
When I was seven years of age, I attended elemen-
tary school. My grandfather, wishing that I might
receive training of a religious nature, arranged for me
to be taught by his cousin, Vincent Serio. I was so
successful in developing the art of reading scripture
that by the time I was 11 years of age my teacher
praised me well, saying that I was blessed to have
such a great gift.
In November 1900, I was permitted to enroll in a
high school run by a religious order, and I studied
religion there until 1905. Meanwhile, my brother
Antonine, who had emigrated to New York City,
invited me to come to America. So, at 17 years of age,
I sailed from Naples, arriving in New York on October
12, 1905. There I met a friend of my brother, Ariel
Debellon, a pastor of the Italian branch of one of the
Protestant churches, who engaged me as a teacher to
serve members of his congregation. He was so im-
pressed with my gift in reading the scriptures that
he suggested I attend Knox College in New York
City. I followed his advice and received my degree
in religion November 24, 1909.
As I think back over the events of my life leading
up to a cold morning in Februaiy 1910, I cannot
escape the feeling that God had been mindful of my
existence. That morning the caretaker of the Italian
chapel delivered a note to me from the pastor, advis-
ing me he was ill in bed and asking me to come to
his house, as he had important matters to discuss with
me regarding the affairs of the parish.
As I walked down Broadway, the strong wind from
the open sea blew cold against me, so I held my head
down and turned my face away from the wind. It
was then I saw what appeared to be a book lying
on top of an open barrel of ashes, set there to be
picked up by the garbage collection wagon. The form
of the pages and the manner in which they were bound
gave me the impression that it was a religious book.
Curious, I picked up the book and knocked it against
the side of the barrel to shake the ashes from its
pages. The book was written in the English language.
I looked for the frontispiece, but it had been torn
away.
As I stood there with the book in my hands, the
fury of the wind turned the pages, and one by one,
the names Nephi, Mosiah, Alma, Moroni, and Isaiah
appeared before my eyes. Since the cold wind was
bitter, I hurriedly wrapped the soiled book in a
newspaper and continued my journey.
At the parish house I gave a few words of comfort
to my colleague Scarillo and agreed to the services
he requested of me during his illness. As I walked
back to my own lodgings, my mind dwelt on the book
in my hand and the strange names I had read. Who
were these men? Who was this prophet Isaiah? Was
he the one I had read about in the Bible, or was he
some other Isaiah?
Back in my room I carefully turned the torn pages
and came to the words of Isaiah, which I read most
carefully. What could be the name of the church that
taught such doctrine in words so easily understood?
The cover of the book and the title page were missing.
I read the declaration of witnesses in the opening
pages and was strongly impressed by the strength of
their testimonies, but there was no other clue to the
book's identity.
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I purchased some alcohol and cotton from the drug-
store beneath my lodgings and began cleaning the
soiled pages. Then for several hours I read what was
written in the book. When I had read chapter ten of
the book of Moroni, I locked the door of my room;
and with the book held in my hands, I knelt down
and asked Cod, the Eternal Father, in the name of
his Son Jesus Christ, to tell me if the book was of
God. As I prayed, I felt my body becoming cold.
Then my heart began to pound, and a feeling of
warmth and gladness came over me and filled me
with such joy that I cannot find words to express.
I knew that the words of the book came from God.
I continued my services in the parish, but my
preaching was tinged with the new words I had found
in the book. The members of my congregation were
so interested in my words that they became dissatis-
fied with the sermons of my colleagues, and they
asked them why they did not preach the sweet argu-
ments of Don Vincent. This was the beginning of
troubles for me. When members began leaving the
chapel during the sermons of my colleagues and re-
mained when I occupied the pulpit, my colleagues
became angry with me.
The beginning of real discord began Christmas eve,
1910. In my sermon that evening, I told the story of
the birth and mission of Jesus Christ as given in my
new book. When I had finished, some of my
colleagues, without any shadow of shame, publicly
contradicted all I had said. The absurdities of their
assertions so upset me that I openly rebelled against
them. They denounced me and turned me over to the
committee of censure for disciplinary action.
When I appeared before this committee, the mem-
bers gave me what was supposed to be fatherly advice.
They counseled me to burn the book, which they said
was of the devil, since it was the cause of so much
trouble and had destroyed the harmony of the pastoral
brothers. I replied by giving my witness that the book
they asked me to burn was the word of God, but
because of the missing pages I did not know the name
of the church that had brought forth the book. I
declared that if I were to burn the book, I would
displease God. I would rather go out of the congrega-
tion of the church than offend him. When I had so
stated, the president of the council ended the discus-
sion, stating the council would decide on the matter
later.
It was not until 1914 that I was once again brought
before the council. The vice venerable spoke in a
friendly tone, suggesting that the sharp words of the
committee members at the previous hearing may have
provoked me, which was regrettable, since they all
loved me and were mindful of the valuable assistance
I had always so freely given. However, he said, I
must remember that obedience— complete and absolute
—is the rule. The long suffering of the members, to
whom I had continued to preach falsehoods, had come
to an end, and I must burn the book.
In reply, I stated I could not deny the words of
the book nor would I burn it, since in doing so I
would offend God. I said I looked forward with joy
to the time when the church to which the book
belonged would be made known to me and I would
become a part of it. At this, the vice venerable cried,
"Enough! Enough!" He then read the decision that
had been made by the council: I was to be stripped
of my position as a pastor of the church and of every
right and privilege I had previously enjoyed.
Three weeks later I was called before the supreme
synod. After giving me an opportunity to retract my
previous statements, which I refused to do, the synod
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confirmed the judgment of the council. I was thus
completely cut off from the body of the church.
In November 1914, I was called into the Italian
army and sent to the Port of Naples. I saw action in
France, where I experienced all of the sadness and
suffering associated with the battles of World War I.
Remembering the lessons of the book I had read, I
related to some of the men in my company the story
of the people of Amnion— how they refused to shed
the blood of their brothers and buried their arms
rather than be guilty of so great crimes. The chap-
lain reported me to the colonel, and the next day I
was escorted to the colonel's office. He asked me to
tell him the story I had related to the soldiers, as it is
recorded in the twenty-fourth chapter of Alma. Then
he asked me how I had come into possession of the
book, and why I retained a book written in the
English language and published by an unnamed
church. I received as punishment a ten-day sentence
on bread and water, with the order that I was to
speak no more of the book and its stories.
After the end of the war I returned to New York,
where I met an old friend who was a pastor of my
former church and who knew the history of my
troubles. He felt I had been unfairly dealt with, and
he began interceding for me with members of the
synod. I was finally admitted to the congregation as
a lay member. As an experiment, it was agreed that
I should accompany one of the pastors on a mission
to New Zealand and to Australia.
In Sydney, Australia, we met some Italian immi-
grants who asked questions about the errors in the
translations of the Bible as published by the Catholic
Church. They were not satisfied with the answers
given by my companion, and he became angry with
them. Then they asked me about it, and, knowing I
had the truth in the Book of Mormon, I once again
told the story of Christ's appearance to the people of
the land described there, and that Christ had said,
"That other sheep I have which are not of this fold;
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice;
and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (3 Ne.
15:17.) When they asked me where I had learned
such teachings, I told them of the book I had found.
The story was sweet to them but very bitter for my
colleague. He reported me to the synod, and once
again their previous judgment was confirmed, and I
was cut off from the church forever. Soon after, I
returned to Italy.
In May 1930, while I was seeking in a French
dictionary for some information, I suddenly saw the
entry "Mormon." I read the words carefully and
found that a Mormon Church had been established
in 1830 and that this church operated a university at
Provo, Utah. I wrote to the president of the university
at Provo, asking for information about the book and
its missing pages. I received an answer two weeks
later, and was told that my letter had been passed on
to the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints and that he would inform me about
the book with the missing pages, which book did
indeed belong to the Mormon Church.
On June 16, 1930, President Heber J. Grant an-
swered my letter and sent a copy of the Book of
Mormon, which had been translated into the Italian
language in 1852 by President Lorenzo Snow while he
was a missionary. President Grant informed me that
Elder John A. Widtsoe was president of the Church's
European Mission, with headquarters in Liverpool,
England, and he would give my request to him. A
few days later, Elder Widtsoe wrote to me from
Liverpool and sent me a pamphlet that contained the
10&
story of the Prophet Joseph Smith, telling of the gold
plates and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
At long last I had learned the rest of the story begun
so long ago when, guided by the hand of God, I
found the torn book lying on top of a barrel of ashes
on a street in New York City.
On June 5, 1932, Elder Widtsoe came to Naples to
baptize me, but a revolution between the Fascists
and anti-Fascists on the island of Sicily had broken
out, and the police at Palermo refused permission for
me to leave the island. I was thus denied a chance
for baptism at that time.
The following year Elder Widtsoe asked me to
translate the Joseph Smith pamphlet into Italian and
to have 1,000 copies published. I took my translation
to a printer, Joseph Gussio, who took the material
to the Catholic bishop of the diocese of Cefalu. The
bishop ordered the printer to destroy the material.
I brought suit against the printer, but all I received
from the court was an order to him to return the
original booklet, which he had thrown into some
waste paper in a cellar.
When Elder Widtsoe was released as president of
the mission in 1934, I started correspondence with
Elder Joseph F. Merrill, who had succeeded him. He
put my name on the mailing list for the Millennial
Star, which I received until 1940 when the subscrip-
tion was stopped because of World War II. In Janu-
ary 1937, Elder Richard R. Lyman, successor to
President Merrill, wrote to me, advising me that he
and Elder Hugh B. Brown would be in Rome on a
certain day and I could meet them there and be
baptized. The letter was delayed because of war
conditions, and I did not receive it in time.
From then until 1949, I was cut off from all news
of the Church, but I remained a faithful follower and
preached the gospel of the dispensation of the fulness
of times. I had copies of the standard works, and I
translated chapters into Italian and sent them to
acquaintances with the greeting: "Good day. The
morning breaks— Jehovah speaks!"
On February 13, 1949, I resumed correspondence
with Elder Widtsoe at Church headquarters in Salt
Lake City. Elder Widtsoe answered my letter October
3, 1950, explaining that he had been in Norway. I
sent him a long letter in reply in which I asked him
to help me to be quickly baptized, because I felt
that I had proven myself to be a faithful son and pure
servant of God, observing the laws and command-
ments of his kingdom. Elder Widtsoe asked President
Samuel E. Bringhurst of the Swiss Mission if he would
go to Sicily to baptize me. On January 18, 1951,
President Bringhurst arrived on the island, and I was
baptized at Imerese, Province of Palermo. According
to the records of the Church, this was apparently the
first baptism performed on the Island of Sicily. Then
on April 28, 1956, I entered the temple at Bern,
Switzerland, and received my endowments.
At last, to be in the presence of my Heavenly
Father! I felt I had now proved faithful in my second
estate, after having searched for and found the true
Church by means of an unknown book that I found
so many years ago, lying on an open barrel of ashes
in the city of New York. O
Elder Don Vincent di Francesca died November 18,
1966, at Gesta Grdtten (Palmero), Italy, in the province
of his birth, after a lifetime search for the true gospel
of Jesus Christ.
wl
Family of President Alvin R. Dyer: Front —
Gloria Dyer Klein and infant Danny, David
and Steven Klein, Sister Dyer, President
Dyer, Carol Lynn Smith Dyer and daughter
Alisyn, Brent R. Dyer; back — C. Reed Klein,
Mark Klein.
Family of Elder Marion D. Hanks: Elder Hanks, Sister Hanks, and
Richard, front; Mary, Ann, Nancy, and Susan, back.
Family of President Hartman Rector, Jr.: Daniel, Sister Rector, John,
and Lila, front; Linda, Kathryn, and Laura, back. Insert J. Kirk.
Family of President Loren C. Dunn: Sister Dunn, Kimberly, Kevin, and
President Dunn.
JjQLLX
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St/ /a?/ M. Todd
Editorial Associate
Members of the Church attending the 138th Annual
General Conference in April sustained four men to
new positions among the General Authorities. Elder
Alvin R. Dyer, an apostle, was sustained as a coun-
selor in the First Presidency; Elder Marion D. Hanks
of the First Council of the Seventy was sustained as an
Improvement Era
Assistant to the Council of the Twelve; and Elder
Hart man Rector, Jr., of Fairfax, Virginia, and Elder
Loren Charles Dunn of Natick, Massachusetts , were
called to the First Council of the Seventy.
President Alvin R.
Dyer has come to his
new position after a
lifetime of dedication to
priesthood responsibili-
ties and leadership. Born
January 1, 1903, in Salt
Lake City, President
Dyer grew to manhood
in a worthy Latter-day
Saint home with 12
brothers and sisters. "I
loved and respected my
parents very much," he recently recalled. "My
father was part of the Old West now faded and gone.
As a child, he was stolen from a pioneer wagon train
by well-meaning Indians who left six ponies tied to
a wagon wheel to pay for him. But he lived to become
a great friend and counselor to the Indians in the
West, where his life was spent. As a boy he had the
job of lighting 36 gas lamps each night on Salt Lake
City's Main Street. He loved horses, and at the age
of 16 he herded cattle from the Salt Lake Valley to
the Snake River in Idaho; he became a locomotive
fireman when 18 years old and an engineer at 20;
the latter became his life's work."
President Dyer attended schools in Salt Lake City,
particularly distinguishing himself in sports, and then
filled a mission in the Eastern States, where he became
an area leader and participated in the 1923 Hill
Cumorah Pageant, perhaps the first year such a
program was presented there.
In 1926 he married May Elizabeth Jackson in the
Salt Lake Temple. They are the parents of two
children, Gloria May (Mrs. Reed Klein) and Brent,
who is married to the former Carol Lynn Smith. There
are now five grandchildren.
For eight years President Dyer was a sheet metal
worker; he then managed a heating and air condi-
tioning department for a builder's supply firm before
organizing a successful distributing company in 1949.
At the time of his call to preside over the Central
States Mission in 1954, he had served in three bishop-
rics and on two high councils. Following his four
years as mission president, he was sustained as first
assistant in the YMMIA general superintendency, and
on October 11, 1958, he was called as an Assistant to
the Council of the Twelve. He served as European
Mission president from 1960 to 1962.
A close friend describes him as "a dynamic, well-
organized, and highly spiritual man of God. He has
dedicated his life to building up the Church. He is a
real career missionary, with the spirit of a hunter for
finding and bringing souls into the kingdom, and has
the gift and power to imbue others in this sacred
cause.
"His keen, enthusiastic, inspirational leadership as
president of the European Mission and his indefa-
tigable labors created a tremendous upsurge in the
success of missionary work throughout Europe. His
instructive bulletins to missionaries, frequent con-
ference sessions, inspiring talks, wise and experienced
counsel, and warm, encouraging, personal interviews
with each missionary brought astounding results. He
gave to the missionaries the stirring challenge to
'testify by the Spirit,' and inspired them to know that
the only effective way to teach the gospel is by the
voice of conviction' in testimony led by the power of
the Spirit. He entreated missionaries to live so that
they would merit the companionship of the Spirit,
and to be fearless in bearing testimony. His watch-
word to the missionaries was 'Immanual— God
with us!'"
On October 5, 1967, Elder Dyer was ordained an
apostle. In his new position, his deep spirituality and
strong leadership will bless the entire Church.
For nearly 15 years
Elder Marion D. Hanks
has been a member of the
First Council of the
Seventy. He was sus-
tained in that position in
October 1953. During
those 15 years he has dis-
tinguished himself as a
great counselor of youth,
and has marked himself
as one with deep insight
and courage, both of which have seen application on
a wide-ranging number of problems. He is a popular
speaker among civic groups throughout the nation,
and will continue to make a remarkable contribution
to the Church as editor of the Era of Youth.
Born October 13, 1921, in Salt Lake City, Elder
May 1968
Hanks was two years old when his father died. He
and his six brothers and sisters were reared by a
widowed mother. A childhood friend recalls a scene
from Elder Hanks' youth that reflects the nature of
his mother's teachings and the pattern of his own
life: "I can still see him walking up Center Street,
carrying a box of groceries on his shoulder, delivering
them to someone who seemed to need them worse
than his own widowed mother's hard-pressed family."
In addition to strong shoulders, he apparently also
developed nimble fingers— as a young man he won
the state marble championship. This same athletic
prowess followed him throughout his high school and
early collegiate years; in fact, today Elder Hanks is
regarded as a highly competitive handball player.
His college basketball coach has said he was the best
freshman basketball prospect he had seen at the
University of Utah. But he declined a scholarship in
order to fulfill a Northern States mission. Since be-
coming a deacon years earlier, he had stayed up past
midnight many a night to read Shakespeare and the
standard works of the Church.
During World War II he served aboard a submarine
chaser in the Pacific, and following the war he at-
tended the University of Utah and was graduated in
law. But instead of practicing law, he served with
the Church's seminary and institute system until he
was called to the First Council of the Seventy. He
still continues to teach an institute class, which is often
as crowded as a stake conference session. His greatest
joy, he insists, is to assist and encourage people in
their search for enlightenment and truth.
Elder Hanks married Maxine Christens en, and they
have five children: Susan Gay, 17; Nancy Marie, 16;
Ann Elizabeth, 14; Mary Linda, 11; and Richard
Duff, 8.
"There is a remarkable kind of magnetism about
Duff, as he is affectionately called by friends," says
a close friend. "Among his associates, entire evenings
have been spent exchanging what have come to be
known as 'Duff Hanks' stories— items about his good-
will, his graciousness, his humor, his discernment, his
keen mind, his good deeds."
Many a quiet battle he has fought to bring peace
among workers. Many a courageous stand he has
taken to insure fair judgment of a person or a problem.
Another acquaintance notes, "He gives of himself
and his goods freely and without remembering. He
bought me a suit for my mission when he needed one
himself. I'll never forget him." His rare gift of caring
enough to do something recently prompted him to
dictate more than 400 personal letters to wives and
parents of boys he had met while in Vietnam under
his Orient-Hawaii mission assignment. He has been
actively involved in mental health, United Fund drives,
Scouting, Parent-Teacher Asociation work, the Presi-
dent's Physical Fitness Committee (under President
Dwight D. Eisenhower), and as a delegate twice to
the Strategic War College at Carlisle Barracks, where
his participation and prayers are remembered by other
delegates. He has truly reaped the respect and love
of countless thousands who have been privileged to
know him personally or to know of him.
The two new members of the First Council of the
Seventy bring very contrasting backgrounds and an
impressive array of accomplishments to their new
assignments: one, Elder Hartman Rector, Jr., is a con-
vert of 16 years, and the other, Elder Loren C. Dunn,
is a son of a stake president.
Elder Hartman Rector,
Jr., now 43 years old, has
been serving for five years
as the senior president of
the 542nd quorum of sev-
enty in the Potomac Stake,
and is program and budget
analyst in the Office of
Budget and Finance of the
U.S. Department of Agri-
culture. He was born Au-
gust 20, 1924, at Moberly, Missouri, a son of Hartman
and Vivian Fay Garvin Rector, and was raised on a
farm near Moberly, where he was graduated from
high school and junior college. In 1947, after ful-
filling a term as a naval aviator, he married Constance
Kirk Daniel of Moberly and became a Missouri
farmer until he was called into active duty during
the Korean conflict. He remained on active duty
until 1958. It was during the Korean campaign that
he met MacDonald Johnson, a faithful Latter-day
Saint serviceman who introduced the gospel to him.
On an early spring day, March 25, 1952, in about
30-degree weather, Hartman Rector, Jr., was baptized
on the outskirts of Tokyo, Japan. His conversion well
symbolizes the untold good accomplished by thou-
sands of faithful Latter-day Saint servicemen who
have shared gospel principles with buddies and
acquaintances. Sister Rector was also baptized in
March 1952.
During his military career (he is a captain in the
Naval Reserve), Elder Rector studied at colleges and
universities in Kentucky, Minnesota, Georgia, and
10
Improvement Era
California. Following the Korean conflict, he became
a field review staff officer for the U.S. Department
of Agriculture.
His activities in the Church have been varied and
rich in experience: Sunday School teacher, four years;
ward MIA superintendent, two years; stake missionary,
four years (during which time he baptized 47 per-
sons); Washington Stake mission president, one year;
stake MIA superintendent, three years; and ward
seminary teacher and president of the 542nd quorum
of seventy at the present time.
Sister Rector is presently serving as second coun-
selor in the Potomac Stake Relief Society presidency.
Because of their love for Church books, the Rectors
have operated the Millennial Bookstore out of their
home for some years and have contributed the profits
to Church projects. They have seven children: Joel
Kirk, 19, serving in the South Brazilian Mission;
Kathryn Garvin, 17; Laura Constance, 16; Linda
Marie, 14; Daniel Hartman, 11; Lila, 6; John Marcus, 2.
Recalling his conversion, Elder Rector said, "How
did I get interested in the gospel? I've looked for the
truth all my life. I used to pray, and I guess I've
prayed this same prayer a thousand times, 'Dear Lord,
please lead me to the truth. Please show me the
truth!' That's all I've ever called it, and all I ever
really call the Church— the truth. I'm like Will
Rogers. He said, 'All I know is what I read in the
newspapers'— well, all I know that is worthwhile is
what I've learned since joining the Church."
In calling him to the First Council of the Seventy,
President McKay said, "I want you to know that the
Lord loves you, and so do we." Thus, a man who was
baptized 11 months after President McKay became
President of the Church now joins President McKay
and other General Authorities in the promulgation of
[■hat truth to all mankind.
Elder Loren C. Dunn
has served for four years as
first counselor in the New
England States Mission
presidency, and is director
of communication for the
New England Council for
Economic Development,
headquartered in Boston.
Born June 12, 1930, he
is a son of the late Alex F.
Dunn and of Carol Horsfall Dunn. His father was
stake president of Tooele Stake for 20 years and
publisher of the Tooele Transcript-Bulletin. From
1949 to 1953 Elder Dunn attended Brigham Young
University (graduating in journalism), where he was
a member of the basketball team that won the 1951
National Invitational Tournament in New York City.
The squad also toured South America. He then ful-
filled a mission in Australia, where he was a counselor
to the mission president. The next two years he com-
pleted his military obligation in the U.S. Army and
served in Europe.
After returning home, he became editor of his
father's newspaper in 1958. In 1959 he married Sharon
Longden, daughter of Elder John Longden, Assistant
to the Council of the Twelve, and LaRue Carr Long-
den. They have two children: Kevin, 7, and Kimber-
ly, 2. In 1961 Elder Dunn left the family newspaper
and went east to Boston University, where he re-
ceived his master's degree in public relations in 1966.
He served as assistant director of public relations for
the Herald Tribune Fresh Air Fund in New York City,
and in 1963 he assumed his present position with the
New England Council. Elder Dunn, now 37 years
old, is a director of the Boston Rotary Club, chairman
of the East District, Algonquin Council of Boy Scouts
of America, guest lecturer at Boston University School
of Communications, and member of several press and
public relations professional associations. He has
served as LDS servicemen's group leader, Explorer
post adviser, superintendent of New England States
Mission MIA, and a counselor in a ward elders quorum
presidency. Sister Dunn is currently serving as presi-
dent of the Boston Stake YWMIA.
A great motivating factor in Elder Dunn's life has
been his father. "To me, my father was the greatest
man I have ever known. He taught me — while busy
himself— that it is not necessarily how much time yon
spend with your family, but how you do it that leaves
the greatest influence. Through little comments and
personal ways, he let it be known that he was deeply
concerned with us. I especially remember the great
emphasis put on family prayer in our home, and the
atmosphere it created. When President McKay
called me to this position, he gave me the challenge
to fulfill the calling in a manner that would be in
keeping with what my father would want me to do,
and that's enough of a challenge for a lifetime. It is
a very great honor to serve this Church in any
capacity, and it is an especially humbling experience
to become involved as one of the General Authorities."
The Era congratulates all four men on their new
callings and is confident that their future service will
be of immense good to the Church and to mankind.
May 1968
11
Posed by Charley Lloyd,
Lon Gibby, and Rickey
Langenheim of Laguna
Beach, California.
IsCens
By Dr. M. Dallas Burnett
Photo by Robert Perine
• The word censorship sounds like a
fingernail scraping across a chalkboard.
Censors are associated with the Star
Chamber of seventeenth century Eng-
land. They remind us of the tyranny
of Hitler and of modern dictatorships,
such as Spain, Portugal, Red China,
and the Soviet Union.
In the United States an attempt was
made to eliminate the censor and cen-
sorship through the First Amendment
to the Constitution, which says in part,
"Congress shall make no law . . . [for-
bidding] freedom of speech, or of the
press." Censorship, however, is not un-
known in the United States. It has
been used during time of war, and the
Supreme Court has allowed cities and
states to pre-censor motion pictures
under very special conditions.
But with the current flood of ob-
scene, lewd, and degenerate material
that is so readily available to young-
sters, is it possible that parents who
are concerned for their children may
need to advocate some form of legal
censorship?
The question is posed with great
hesitation. I am a journalist, teacher,
and Latter-day Saint. That background
demands a commitment to freedom
and liberty. Censorship is historically a
tool of tyranny. It is my reluctant
conclusion, however, that in this coun-
try we have finally reached the point
where the machinery of the state must
be used to protect our youth from
those who would exploit sex in books,
movies, and magazines. Too many
homes have lost control, willingly or
unwillingly, of their youngsters' reading
Improvement Era
orship tlie Answer?
and viewing habits.
Increasingly the laws that make ob-
scenity a federal, state, or local offense
have become relatively ineffective. The
highest tribunal in the land has con-
sistently taken a dim view of local
obscenity convictions — finding in many
instances that the material viewed as
obscene in the local community is not
obscene by federal standards.
This unwillingness to accept some
local determination as to whether
material is obscene or not was repeated
in May 1967 when the Supreme Court
reversed an Arkansas decision that had
found several men's magazines unfit
for sale. When the court accepted the
case for review, it agreed to look into
the matter of allowing the states to
establish their own standards of
obscenity. This was an approach that
had previously been advocated by
Justice John Marshall Harlan. In its
decision, however, the court did not
even discuss this question, which
suggests that it will continue to decide
obscenity on the basis of a liberal
"national" standard.
If the court proceeds on its present
course, and there is no reason to be-
lieve it will not, prosecutions in cities
and states of anything but hard-core
pornography will likely fail in the end.
This brings us back to the question
of what to do. It may be that now is
the time to consider censorship of
materials going into the hands of those
under 18 unless there is parental ap-
proval. Let the adults consume the
filth that the Supreme Court feels im-
pelled to protect under the First
Amendment, but should we not do
something to keep it from the young-
sters?
Censorship is a hard word. There are
some who would soften the sound by
talking about "youth protection" or
"classification." Let's not gloss it over.
Whatever the phrase, we are talking
about some form of censorship of
material for youth. The proposal should
be examined in that light.
It might be well to look at the legal
possibilities and problems before
wrestling with the philosophical aspects
of this idea. Provo, Utah, furnishes a
good starting point. Provo is the home
of Brigham Young University, and its
population of approximately 42,000
persons is over 80 percent Latter-day
Saint. In 1966 the Provo City Commis-
sion passed what was called a youth
protection ordinance. The law required
that all motion picture theater opera-
tors and all vendors of magazines and
books designate material that was
unfit for youth. In this case, a youth
was anyone under the age of 18. Once
a publication or movie had been so
designated, the vendor or operator
became subject to a misdemeanor
charge if he allowed an underage
person to buy a magazine or attend the
motion picture. An attempt was made
in the law to define what might be
considered unfit for youth, and the law
further provided that any ten citizens
could complain that material had been
improperly classified. Upon complaint,
the city commission could make an
Dr. Dallas Burnett, Orem (Utah) Twenty-ninth Ward elders quorum president
and associate professor of communications at Brigham Young University, is
a former magazine editor who is intimately aware of the importance of free-
dom of expression.
examination of the case and could
withdraw the license of the offending
individual.
Just before the law went into effect,
it was challenged in Federal District
Court by a Salt Lake City magazine
distributor. He complained that the law
violated the freedom of the press
guaranteed in the first and fourteenth
amendments to the Constitution. An
injunction was granted.
Provo authorities had passed their
law with great gusto and at the first
indication of a challenge promised a
fight all the way to the Supreme Court.
There was a change of heart, however,
and just before the case was to be
heard in Federal District Court, Provo
repealed the law and passed two other
ordinances.
The new ordinances dealt with
movies and printed material separately.
More importantly, the new laws elimi-
nated the licensing provisions and also
any method of challenging the classifi-
cation of material made by the news
vendor or theater operator. The original
law had also left the classification up
to the seller, but there was a method
of questioning whether his classifica-
tion had been appropriate. Under the
new laws, everything was left in the
hands of the seller. His decision as to
whether something was obscene or not
was the final word.
A complaint was also brought
against the two new ordinances by the
same Salt Lake City magazine distribu-
tor, but the court this time refused to
grant an injunction against enforce-
ment of the law. The case, which was
filed in mid-1966 against the two laws,
has never come to trial and likely never
will.
Although the final Provo ordinances
May 1968
13
"Society may find itself unable even to teach morality."
were toothless tigers, there is a purpose
in discussing them. First, there was a
psychological factor here that cannot
be discounted. The first ordinance
never really went into effect, yet most
of the magazine sellers in the city com-
plied with it by taking many of the
"girlie"-type magazines off the open
stands and placing them behind the
counters where they were no longer
available to browsing youngsters. This
action represented a classification of
the magazines as "unfit" for youth.
And even with the passage of the two
new ordinances, which offered no legal
threat at all to the dealers, most news-
stands continued to keep such maga-
zines behind the counter.
A second significant point in the
Provo experiment is that it was pre-
cipitated in the first place by concerned
citizens. A few people who had been
"shocked" by some movies shown
locally organized themselves in an
attempt to bring about greater public
awareness of the prevalence of ob-
scenity and near-obscenity in motion
pictures and magazines. The culmina-
tion of this effort was the Utah County
Council for Better Movies and Litera-
ture, which in turn encouraged the
passage of Provo's first ordinance.
Over one thousand persons attended a
meeting sponsored by the council prior
to the passage of the Provo law. There
can be little doubt that this impressed
the city commission.
Genuine citizen concern is absolutely
essential in fighting pornography, but
at the same time it must be recognized
that obscenity is not at all easy to
define. Over-zealousness can lead to
"witch hunting," which may be just as
evil as the pornography itself.
The suggestion here, then, is that
the Provo approach is only a step in
the direction of what must eventually
be done to solve this problem. It is
becoming more and more apparent that
the youth protection law is the only
real answer. However, any successful
youth protection law must have teeth
in it. Putting movie house owners and
magazine dealers "on their honor" is
not the answer, unfortunately.
To be more precise, we are calling
attention to a legal concept called
variable obscenity, as contrasted with
constant obscenity. There are some in-
dications that the Supreme Court of the
United States may give its blessing to
the idea that materials that are not
obscene for adults may be obscene for
youngsters. This is not a particularly
consistent moral or religious philos-
ophy, of course, but it may very well
be the last legal hope in the battle
against a declining moral standard.
There are several reasons for believ-
ing that the high court may give legal
sanction to this idea of variable ob-
scenity. In the first instance, Dallas,
Texas, has a law that provides for
classifying movies as to their fitness for
showing to youngsters under 16. Under
the Dallas ordinance, the classification
is made by a city-appointed board — in
essence, a censorship board. This
particular law was found constitutional
by the United States Fifth Circuit Court
of Appeals in 1966. The case has been
appealed to the Supreme Court and
will be decided sometime this year. In
the opinion of the Circuit Court, the
Supreme Court has already suggested
and accepted the variable obscenity
concept in previous decisions. The
Circuit Court judge wrote:
"The acceptance of this variable
obscenity approach indicates that the
Supreme Court would uphold a prop-
erly drawn statute designed to regulate
material obscene as to children so long
as the legislation does not have the
effect of reducing adults to a level of
consumption fit for children. The
motion picture classification statute
presents a prime example of a means
of protecting children without appre-
ciably restricting adults."
In addition to the Dallas case, the
high court will also decide the consti-
tutionality of a New York State law that
makes it illegal to sell a magazine con-
taining a picture of a nude person to
anyone under the age of 17.
Further, the Supreme Court said in
the Arkansas decision cited earlier: "In
none of the cases was there a claim
that the statute in question reflected a
specific and limited state concern for
juveniles." All of this points to the hope
that the Supreme Court is prepared to
accept the youth protection law con-
cept.
There is no purpose in spelling out
in detail how these laws should read.
It is sufficient to make plain that cities
and states may be given the legal go-
ahead to tighten the lid on the sort of
things that may be sold and shown to
young people.
Is censorship the answer? Is the
problem serious enough to take a step
that involves the government in a re-
sponsibility that is basically parental?
Reluctantly, I say yes.
Too many parents in our society have
abdicated their responsibility. Someone
or something must protect these un-
protected youngsters. In fact, the
protective parents even need help. It
is traditional to argue that morals
cannot be legislated, but the society
that doesn't make a try at it, at least
for its children, may find itself unable
even to teach morality. O
14
Improvement Era
• The publication and sale of
obscene material is BIG business
in America today. Degenerate sex
pictures and pornographic litera-
ture, covertly peddled and sold in
most cities and communities, net
greedy smut merchants millions
of dollars annually.
It is impossible to estimate the
amount of harm to impressionable
teenagers and to assess the vol-
ume of sex crimes attributable to
pornography, but its influence is
extensive. Sexual violence is in-
creasing at an alarming pace.
Many parents are deeply con-
cerned about conditions which-
involve young boys and girls in sex
parties and illicit relations. While
there is no official yardstick with
which to measure accurately the
reasons for increases in any
criminal violation, we must face
reality. Pornography, in all its
forms, is one major cause of sex
crimes, sexual aberrations, and
perversions.
Is our society becoming so
wicked that we are turning from
virtue and integrity to immorality
and degradation? Are we becom-
ing morally bankrupt and letting
(Reprinted by permission from the FBI
haw Enforcement Bulletin. )
J. Edgar Hoover,
FBI director,
writes about the
Evils of
Obscene Materials
our principles of conduct and
decency deteriorate? Are we for-
saking the simple teachings of
right over wrong and good over
bad?
Let us look about us. In the
publishing, theatrical, and enter-
tainment fields, are the good,
enlightening, and educational
qualities of their products being
overshadowed by too much em-
phasis on obscenity, vulgarity,
incest, and homosexuality? Many
people believe this to be true. But
the legitimate productions of these
media are rather mild when com-
pared with the hard-core pornog-
raphy flooding the country in the
forms of films, ''playing" cards,
"comic" books, paperbacks, and
pictures. Such filth in the hands
of young people and curious
adolescents does untold damage
and leads to disastrous conse-
quences.
Police officials who have dis-
cussed this critical problem with
me unequivocally state that lewd
and obscene material plays a
motivating role in sexual violence.
In case after case, the sex criminal
has on his person or in his posses-
sion pornographic literature or
pictures. Under these conditions,
it is not surprising to note that
forcible rape in 1966 increased 10
percent over the 1965 total, a
violation occurring every 21 min-
utes. Since 1960, forcible rape
has increased 50 percent.
Obviously, all that is being
done to combat the sale and traf-
fic in obscene materials in the
nation is not enough. Sound and
workable laws are needed, and
where they do exist, they should
be vigorously enforced. Since
many courts seem to judge ob-
scenity on the basis of the mora!
standards in the community, the
public has a vital role in upgrading
the level of community morality.
When obscene material is discov-
ered, it should be exposed and
citizens should complain to proper
authorities. When pornography is
received in the mails, postal au-
thorities should be advised. Citi-
zens should come forward and
cooperate in the prosecution of
the offenders.
Obscene material is indeed
evil, but it is not a necessary evil.
If the illicit profits in pornography
were replaced with stiff punish-
ments for the filth purveyors, this
evil would be brought under
control. O
"In case after case, the sex criminal
has on his person pornographic literature."
May 1968
15
On Hill Climbing
By Enola Chamberlin
Hurriedly she climbed the hill,
Not that she needed exercise of
body —
Care of her house, her children,
her man,
Gave her that —
But because
She needed exercise of spirit.
She needed to break away,
Needed the challenge,
The excitement
Of doing something
Not to be experienced
In her day-by-day ,
Her commonplace living
Of life.
And she found that though
On the far side distance and far
places
Beckoned her,
The sight of her house,
Snug beneath the elms,
The love for her children,
And her man,
Drew her back down the hill,
Her hill of adventure,
Much, much faster than she had
climbed it.
16
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May 1968
17
The second sheet of "House of the Lord" calls for five side windows.
1 i * H 1 V [ t J L I 5 t < 1 I O H 1-T
f IODB P L 1
Sketches on papyri backings resemble floor
and building plans of Kirtland Temple.
Reprinted from Architectural Forum, Copy-
right March 1936, Urban America, Inc.
Improvement Era
u
X
X
fl; M
■ij£\>
III B-R. Sketches appear to be
p/an for temple in Jackson County.
/// A-R. The f/oor p/an is a/so
re/ated to the Kirtland Temple.
X/-R. This may be the corner of
temp/e; choir box, audience pews.
The Sketches
on "the
Papyri
Backings
w:
By Dr. T. Edgar Lyon
'■is */ "lAKEPoin.s.ill.
°*-/° "Kirtland
lb wnloughby
i®Wkkfiff» ^Chardon
SANDUSKY"
i Fremont
Green Sprs^ BE-llevue?
MonrMville
HURON
Willard
d> Gri
Plymouth
Obftlin
LORAIN0
O ■<»■ "J^|»lll« ~ [iiS,""""
" B»'ta GMflTI CUYAHOGA VSUM""iT
rmricfc
MarH
■lil-iC'
^ Jefferson
ASHTABULA
o Aurora u . c °Cortlan<l |
u,„> . Hr,arn o^l Wnrrnn SnarDn
Marrtuao Le3Vinstlu,g^rren6 w„,
HilM0*^0^ Hubbard
RICHLAND
I 0 Shelby
„ West SalemO Ci
indhsm o
— ■ I ""»', W" ^e^ Newton Fa
MedinaA Cuyahoga Follva'o0 I » ARovenno
AkrnnVr. °Munroe Fails Craig Beach,
. wadiwDcij. mMbu°<',,°<' TOUi —
Sevillio (St*"" pLaliBmore PORTAGE | Canlr1'1^
■^tnn0 g o I Barberton tonSSSSi
Young*townt4ig»ostrjth#r
• a lion
(man >
o
Poland |
MAHONING i
1 ' ^c'.jn-.'ii J-'
Shaded area represents maps on papyri.
Dr. T. Edgar Lyon, research historian of Nauvoo
Restoration Incorporated and associate director of the
Institute of Religion adjacent to the University of Utah,
is a former Netherlands Mission president and the
author of numerous courses of study for the Church.
hen Michael Chandler's
Egyptian mummies were
first brought to Kirtland, Ohio, in July 1835, there
were "four human figures, together with some rolls
of papyrus. ..." (Documentary History of the Church,
Vol. 2, p. 235.) They were objects of great interest
and were referred to as "the curiosities."
Because of too much handling, subjection to fluc-
tuating temperatures and humidity, and the hard-
ships of travel as the Saints moved westward, parts
of the fragile papyri inevitably cracked, fragments
chipped off, and one or more of the rolls probably
broke into pieces. Perhaps at Kirtland, but it could
have been in Missouri or at Nauvoo, someone
attempted to preserve the manuscripts by pasting
them on paper. It could have been the Prophet
Joseph Smith, or, more likely, someone close to him
whom he directed to do the pasting. What was the
source of the backing paper?
Probably in the early 1830's some as yet unidenti-
fied Latter-day Saint architect or builder drew two or
more floor plans for a large building. These early
drafts lacked dimensional measurements and were
drawn almost devoid of window and door openings.
It appears the designer did not have sheets of paper
May 1968
19
One drawing- — found in the Church Historian's office — is titled "House of the
sufficiently large to accommodate the entire floor
plan, so he drew portions on more than one sheet
and then pasted them together to present the entire
drawing, using other sheets to form the backing.
Modifications and improvements were made in the
design of this large structure, and more detailed
drawings were made. The less detailed drawings
were discarded but preserved for other uses, as
paper was relatively expensive a century and a
quarter ago. When those who decided to preserve
the deteriorating papyri fragments sought some-
thing on which to mount them, they used these un-
detailed drawings for the backing, cutting them into
irregular sizes, perhaps comparable to the fragments
they were intended to protect.
Of the eleven papyri fragments that the Church
acquired in November 1967, the ones numbered
III A, III B, and XI (these are the identifying numbers
used in the February Era) have sections of what
appear to be the earlier drawings, referred to above,
on their reverse sides. (The letter "R," attached to
the February numbering system, will identify the
reverse side of any particular fragment. Thus, the
reverse sides of III A, III B, and XI will be identified
as III A-R, III B-R, and Xl-R.)
An examination of papyri fragments I and XI
indicates there are drawings also on the front sides
to which the papyrus fragments were pasted. (Num-
ber XI, therefore, has drawings on both sides of the
backing paper.) If all the portions of these drawings
were used in mounting the papyri, then there are
some pieces of the papyri missing, because all of
the segments of the floor plan are not with the
papyri acquired last November.
To the observant inquirer, a question naturally
arises: What building did these sketches depict?
Most people who have visited the Kirtland Temple
are probably impressed by the four tiers of pulpits
at the east and west ends; each of the upper three
levels has three semicircular pulpits, and box-pews
at each side face the pulpits at right angles. A com-
parison of the fragmentary floor plan drawings from
the mounting paper of the papyri, when pieced to-
gether, could indicate the following aspects of the
Kirtland Temple: The numerals inked on III A-R,
III B-R, and Xl-R probably mean (1) the number 3's
would be the east-west aisles; (2) the number
4's would be the transverse choir box pews facing
toward the small box pews that are listed as the num-
ber 6's and the pulpits; (3) the number 7's would
be the narrow stairways leading to the pulpits; (4)
the number 5's would be the nine circular pulpits
at each end, and the lower pulpit area; (5) the
number 8's and the number 9's would be the
transept aisles.
ft*
ys
VI
Additional plan is by Frederick G.Williams. Note nine side windows.
Between the pulpits are the longer box-pews in
the center, with shorter ones between the aisles and
the exterior walls. (Movable benches in all the
pews on the main floor made it possible for the
occupants to face either pulpit as occasion de-
manded.) Double lines on the drawings indicate
the places at which the painted canvas curtains
(veils), lowered from rollers on the ceiling, would
divide the hall into small areas for special meetings.
All of these items appear to be similar to the Kirt-
land Temple with one exception. These drawings
provide for 14 rows of box-pews on the floor level,
whereas there are only ten in the building at Kirtland.
Of direct bearing to these sketches are two original
ink drawings in the Church Historian's Office. Both
drawings are of the projected temple to be con-
structed in Jackson County, Missouri, one bearing
the designation "House of the Lord for the Presi-
dency." One, which appears to be the older of the
two, is drawn on thin paper approximately 15 by
21 1/2 inches and has a floor plan almost identical
to that which can be reconstructed from the drawings
20
Improvement Era
Lord for the Presidency."
on the papyri backings, even to the drop leaf table
in front of one of the bottom pulpits. Quite detailed
measurements are given for the main hall (77 by 61
feet), the pulpit areas, box-pews, and aisles. The
side elevation shows only five windows in the struc-
ture in each wall, and there are 14 rows of box-pews
on the main floor.
The second drawing, more mechanically accurate
and more neatly done than the one just described,
«.*>
'*\
Williams' plan also appears related to proposed Jackson temple.
bears the name of Frederick G. Williams, a member
of the First Presidency of the Church at Kirtland, as
though he had executed it. His floor plan was
essentially the same, except for the correction of an
error concerning the extension of an aisle into the
elevated pulpit area at one end, and the placing of
nine rather than five windows in the side elevation
of each of the two floors.
From a comparative examination of these two
original drawings with the fragmentary sketches from
the papyri, it seems that all four of them are related
and are various stages in the development of plans
for the temple that was to be constructed in Jackson
County, Missouri.
There has not been sufficient study done on the
handwriting of early Church members to ascertain
who might have drawn the plans for the "House of
the Lord for the Presidency," except the one bearing
the name of President Williams. Brigham Young
was a member of the Church after April 14, 1832,
and if the plans were drawn subsequent to that date,
he might have been the draftsman on some of these
plans. He had done much building in New York
State, owned a set of simple drafting pens and
equipment, and was capable of making the draw-
ings. Reynolds Cahoon, who had been converted in
October 1830 by Parley P. Pratt at his residence
near Kirtland, had limited building experience,
which probably was a factor in his appointment as
one of the three-man building committee for the
Kirtland Temple.
As strange as it may seem today, at the time the
temples for Jackson County, Kirtland, and Nauvoo
were planned, the need for a qualified architect
was of secondary importance. There were few
trained architects outside the major urban centers.
Most buildings were designed by "practical builders,"
such as Brigham Young. It must be remembered
that the early temples contained no central heating
or mechanical ventilation, no electric circuits, no
plumbing, and no elevators. Hence no advanced
planning was needed, as in the twentieth century
building, to conceal these modern conveniences in
walls and partitions.
At that time architectural knowledge concerning
stresses, strains, thrusts, and similar mechanical
problems was quite unknown among builders
outside urban communities. With a general di-
mensional plan in mind — and in many cases it
was in the mind of the builder and not on paper,
or it might have been sketched on a planed scrap
of lumber — the builders laid a massive foundation,
often without a footing but which practical experi-
ence had taught them would support any eventualities
to which the building might be subjected. At Kirt-
land, and tater at Nauvoo, a building committee of
practical laymen commenced the actual construction
of the temples before an architect had been
employed.
When building the Kirtland Temple, the builders
made some modifications of the plans for the temple
in Zion. They retained the basic design of the
floor plan but made its measurements conform to
the dimensions given in D&C 94:4. This shortened
the length and narrowed the width of the building,
with the result that there was space only for ten
rows of box-pews on the main floor. Six windows
were placed in the side walls on each floor. An
May 1968
21
The drawings seem to have been for the temple at Jackson County, Missouri.
additional drop leaf sacrament table was also added
to the lower pulpit at one end.
A visit to the Kirtland Temple allows the inter-
ested visitor to see, in slightly smaller form and
beauty, the floor and pulpit plans, the aisles, the
box-pew arrangements, and the plan for the veils
that could be lowered to divide the hall into sections,
as these were envisioned by Joseph Smith for the
temple in Zion that was never built. The drawings
on the back of the papyri recently acquired by the
Church apparently represent a stage in the develop-
ment of the plan for the first temple the Lord com-
manded the Saints to build in this dispensation of
the fulness of times.
The Maps an the Papyri Backings
When King Charles II of England granted a charter
to the "Connecticut River Towns" in 1662, he fixed
the north and south boundaries of the colony by
parallels, but extended its western boundary to the
"South Seas." By the geography of that day, its
western boundary would be the Pacific Ocean.
Charles II, however, was not geographically careful
when giving away American lands — he gave both the
Duke of York (New York colony) and William Penn
(the colony of Pennsylvania) portions of the region
already given to Connecticut, but he placed western
limits on them. Connecticut then claimed the land
westward from these colonies as a "Western Re-
serve" for its expanding population. King James
at an earlier date had given a charter to Virginia,
and its indefinite wording also gave Virginia a claim
to the land beyond the western limit of Pennsylvania.
Following the American Revolution, the new federal
government persuaded the various states to renounce
their conflicting claims to western lands, as stated
in their charters, and to cede them to the national
government. In 1786 Connecticut ceded all its
western land claims except an irregularly shaped
quadrilateral commencing near present-day Con-
neaut, Ohio, on Lake Erie, running south along the
Pennsylvania border to approximately Youngstown,
thence west to the vicinity of Willard, and north to
Port Clinton on Lake Erie. This was then officially
recognized as Connecticut's Western Reserve.
Moses Cleaveland [sic] went west in 1796 to
supervise the disposition of these lands for the
Connecticut Land Company. The city he helped
found, Cleveland, became the cultural, financial,
industrial, and maritime center of the area. Western
Reserve University at Cleveland is one of the few
survivals that perpetuate this once important name.
In 1800 Connecticut agreed to have its Western
Reserve included in the newly organized Territory of
'End View East" of Williams' plan closely resembles Kirtland Temple.
Ohio as Trumbull County. As the population grew,
it was eventually divided into 14 counties.
During the 1820's a newly established religious
movement, whose members were expectantly await-
ing the "restoration of the Primitive Church" and
who called themselves Reformed Baptists, but who
were more commonly known as Campbellites, were
highly successful in making converts on the Western
Reserve. Sidney Rigdon, a former Baptist preacher
at Pittsburgh, was sent there as a supervisor of a
number of their congregations. From his home sta-
tion at Mentor, Ohio, he exercised direction over the
congregations at Hyrum, Thompson, Kirtland, and
other associated communities. Parley P. Pratt and
Orson Hyde were both preachers for this Reformed
Baptist movement in Ohio.
In October 1830, three months after Parley P.
Pratt was converted to the Church, the Prophet-
Joseph Smith called him to return on a mission to
his Campbellite friends on the Western Reserve and
to proclaim the restoration of the gospel. Accom-
panied by Ziba Peterson, Peter Whitmer, Jr., and
22
Improvement Era
Oliver Cowdery, he journeyed westward to Mentor,
where Sidney Rigdon was soon converted. Within
a few weeks hundreds of Campbellites were con-
verted, and in less than a year more than a thou-
sand converts were made. This acceptance of the
gospel by inhabitants of the Western Reserve, plus
the opposition that faced the Church in New York
State, was instrumental in transference of Church
headquarters to Kirtland, Ohio, early in 1831.
JL Jt i 1_
Williams' "West End View" was altered some in Kirtland Temple.
After the location of the western Zion in Jackson
County, Missouri, in 1831, many of the Saints on the
Western Reserve migrated there and entered into the
law of consecration and stewardship. (See D&C 42.)
If the migrants were not able to sell their property
in Ohio, they deeded it to the bishop of the Church
at Kirtland and were given certificates verifying their
consecrations, which Bishop Partridge in Zion then
honored by giving them a stewardship in Missouri.
(See D&C 72 for an example of this arrangement.)
It was thus necessary that the Church authorities
have land maps of the Western Reserve to facilitate
the transfer of title and deeds to property of the
departing Saints.
Although the Lord had revealed in 1831 that he
would only retain a "strong hand" in Kirtland for
five years (D&C 64:21), the Saints constructed their
first temple there, established some industries,
added subdivisions, and acquired and farmed thou-
sands of acres. Even after the settlement at Nauvoo,
many Saints were still residing in the Kirtland
vicinity; they were then urged to turn their property
over to the agents of the Church at Kirtland in ex-
change for land at Nauvoo and vicinity.
The drawings, identified as ll-R and IV-R, to which
the papyri had been pasted apparently after the rolls
were beginning to fall apart from too much handling,
were a map of the Western Reserve, with a few ex-
tensions, where many hundreds of Saints had homes
and farms.
The lines that are shown on the map indicate the
boundaries of the six-mile square townships, as they
would have appeared when the entire Western Re-
serve was Trumbull County, but without the county
divisions as they existed during the Mormon settle-
ment in Ohio.
It is not possible at the present state of research
to date this old map or to determine who drew it,
who used it, or for what purpose it was drawn. It
might well be a very old map of the Western Reserve,
dating back to the time when it was all Trumbull
County, and hence had none of the later county
boundaries. It could have been used by a mission-
ary, circuit rider, revivalist, district superintendent,
county overseer, tax collector, or assessor, each of
whom made reports on the basis of townships.
In those days, when transportation was slow,
communication no faster than a horse-drawn vehicle
or sailing boat, and travel very difficult, it was quite
common for people to be more conscious of their
township locations than they were of larger county
designations. (This condition is true even today in
some parts of New England, New York, Ohio, In-
diana, and Illinois.) The situation was aggravated
in Ohio by one county eventually evolving into 14
counties as the population increased, and the county
boundaries were constantly shifting as new counties
were organized. The township designations were
much more stable than the county names, and
property outside of incorporated towns was also
described on deed records by the township.
This map might have been a contemporary map
used by Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Hyde,
Lyman Wight, or other Latter-day Saint leaders in
their activities. Or it might have served Bishop
Newell K. Whitney in the transfer of property as
Saints departed for Missouri to live under the law of
consecration and stewardship in Zion. O
May 1968
23
'• ■:,.
W*
"Jennie, I'm sorry.
I really didn't know."
He reached for my trembling chin
and raised it. "Come on now,
little sis. Give me
a smile."
• It's late, and the house and the children are settling
down for sleep. Even Paul, who in the months since
his father's death has quietly filled the evenings
with his presence, has gone to bed, quarterly exams
at the university ahead of him.
I sit with the lamp turned low, remembering this
afternoon in the bishop's office. We talked together
about a mission for Paul, and now I wonder: could
he have guessed what was really in my heart? I said
all the right things. "It will have to be his decision,
Bishop. We'll talk it over and pray about it." But
inside I was crying out rebelliously, No! It's too soon!
I've never said "no" before. It's always been "yes"
or "I'll try." We could somehow manage financially,
and it would be wonderful for Paul. But what would
Susan and Billy and Joe do without their adored older
brother? And where does a mother find the strength
Amy Hillyard Jensen, mother of eight children, is an
active Relief Society worker in the Bellevue (Washington)
First Ward. A part-time writer, she used the background
of the Pacific Northwest for the setting of this story.
Firstling
the
k Flock
\'J
By Amy Hillyard Jensen
musiratecf by Dale Kilbomn
X:
%"
HI ' ' *''
"■*"v.»
'---:«- ■ . ■UsifofO.iVi* ;..»- >,..;-■
to send her boy on a mission when his father has just
died? He was the firstling of our flock. How can I
part with him now?
Suddenly the words evoke memories, and I picture
springtime at the yellow apartment house on the hill.
Springtime, when I found the Church— or it found me.
It happened here in Seattle, just before the war. I
was 17 and in love with a brown-eyed boy named
Roger. He was as inconstant as our Seattle weather,
but the very fact that I never knew from day to day
whether he cared or not somehow added to his charm.
Mother, who was all the family I had, was manager
of the apartment house where we lived, with its
pseudo-Spanish architecture, long musty halls, and
view of Puget Sound.
One day in early spring Roger had come to the
high school and walked home with me. We lingered
outside the big green front door talking about the
spring prom at the university, where he was majoring
in mathematics.
He hadn't asked me to the prom yet, but I could
tell he meant to. He stood with his books held care-
lessly on one hip, leaning against the yellow stucco
wall, while I sat on the step. It was one of the good
times. So often Roger teased me, suspecting how
much I cared for him. "Hey, there's a gorgeous red-
head in my English class named Ginger," he said
once. "Boy, I could go for her!" And while his words
didn't offend me, something hurt inside because he'd
noticed Ginger— and my hair was mousy brown.
But today his mood was different, and he talked of
college. "In another year you'll be there, too," he told
me. "I'll carry your books." His cheeks dimpled in one
of his rare smiles. When he looked like that, I didn't
think his month was weak, as Mother had once de-
scribed it.
Then he leaned over me. "You'll be my girl, Jennie,"
he said. My heart, caught unaware, stopped in sur-
prise, then speeded up, pumping the hot blood to my
face. It was then that the green door opened and
Mother looked out.
"Hello, Roger," she said, smiling briefly. "Jennie,
can you help me? I've rented the basement apartment,
and the new tenants will be here any minute. They'll
need dishes and kitchen equipment."
Nv As if on signal, an old blue Dodge wheezed to a
stop at the parking strip under the shade of our old
box elder tree.
Mother came out, a warm smile on her face. "Well,
you made it!" Then she introduced us. "Jennie, this
is Lyle Holbrook . . . and this is Bill Smith. Boys,
my daughter. And this is Roger Daniels."
He's nice, I thought, while the boys shook hands.
It was the one named Lyle that I had noticed. His
hair was dark, and his eyes held a trace of mischief.
But his manner was so open that I found myself feel-
ing vexed with Roger, who never seemed at ease
when it was more than just the two of us.
"Are you out at the U?" Lyle asked Roger.
"Yeah," Roger said, his eyes veiled.
"Bill and I are in dentistry." Then Lyle looked at
me and smiled.
Mother said, "Would you boys like to drive down
the side street to the garage? You can unload your
things right at the apartment."
As the car rattled around the corner, Roger pointed
out the license plate. "I guess your friends are from
Utah."
"Yes, you're right," Mother said. "Well, I have to
get busy. Good-bye, Roger. Coming, Jennie?"
"Okay, Mom. Rog, why don't you stay? Mother
could put you to work, too." It wasn't courtesy
speaking; I didn't want him to go.
The door had swung shut, but Roger lowered his
voice. "Your mom kind of cramps my style, honey.
I'd better be running along."
I tried to keep the hurt from showing. "All right,
then," I said.
He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Maybe
I'll call you." Then, as he started backing away, he
added, "You know, you'd better keep your eyes on
those two guys. They're probably Mormons." Before
I could answer, he had disappeared around the corner
of the building and was whistling down the street.
Roger was right about one thing— Lyle and Bob
were Mormons. But we didn't have to keep our eyes
on them. After they had been in the apartment a
while, Mother said, "You know, I think those two
are the nicest young men I've ever known."
I knew why she felt that way. Since we were so
close to the U, we often had students renting apart-
ments. But sometimes there would be drinking parties,
or girls would come to visit, or apartments would be
left dirty.
25
"****-
-*-'•'«.*.
u
There in the steamy laundry room
I heard the truths of the gospel."
Lyle and Bill weren't like that at all. They went to
church and to school, did their own laundry and
cleaning, and wrote letters home. When they got
their groceries, they always offered Mom a ride to
the store, though usually she sent me.
On Saturdays they did their washing. The apart-
ment house washing machine was a tricky old
monster that had to be fed a nickel eveiy 15 minutes,
so the first time they used it, I went downstairs to
show them how to keep it in line. And there in the
laundry room, steamy with drying clothes, I heard
the truths of the gospel for the first time.
I knew a little about the Mormons already, of
course, from my history class and a movie I had seen
once. I knew about Brigham Young and the pioneers
and the Great Salt Lake. But I didn't know a thing
about what these people believed. Somehow the name
"Mormon" had always meant some strange sect to me,
almost as alien as "Buddhist."
"Tell me a little about your religion," I asked them,
not caring that I sounded childishly curious. So they
did. It was a wonderful hour. Now, whenever I hear
the story of the golden plates, I see those two in old
sweatshirts, as they ran clothes through the wringer
and told me of the beginnings of the Book of Mormon.
The clothes were washed long before my curiosity
was satisfied. "Why don't you come to church with
us next Sunday, and bring your mother?" Lyle said.
"Visitors come all the time, and I really think you'd
like it."
I almost didn't go; Roger had said he might call
on Sunday. But Mother insisted. "Honestly, Jennie,
the way you moon around over that boy! It'll do him
good to call and find you gone."
So we went together to the Mormon Church. The
building was old and shabby, an American Legion
hall— not a proper church at all. But inside, like
mother-of-pearl lining the craggy shell of an oyster,
was a luminous spirit. I had never heard such singing.
And the service, simple enough that even the youngest
child could take part, moved me so deeply that I sat
there with the tears streaming down my cheeks. It
was strange, but I felt that I had come home.
Mother didn't say much, but I could tell that the
spirit there had touched her too. A few days later,
she invited Lyle and Bill to dinner. They couldn't
stay long, but during dinner we talked about the
Church and its principles.
"I can't say I'm too sold on tithing, Lyle," my
mother said. "Ten percent of your income seems an
awful lot to pay. If a person is well-to-do, of course,
it might be different."
Lyle smiled. "It seems like a lot, I know. But the
blessings tithing brings just can't be measured in
terms of money. When I was on my mission, I used
to explain that a real tithing would be bringing the
Lord the first fruits of all we possess. Not just money,
but our time and strength, too."
How strange it seemed to hear things like this from
someone so young— only a few years older than Roger,
really. I wondered what he would think. Roger and I
had never talked about religion; he always seemed
to shy away whenever I wanted to be serious.
He came that night after Lyle and Bill had gone.
"I've got my dad's car," he said. "Let's go for a ride."
My pulse quickened. Maybe tonight he would ask me
to go to the prom.
I took a jacket because it had been raining, hugged
Mother, ignoring the sober glance she gave me, and
dashed off. We went bowling first, and everything
was right. Then some of Roger's buddies came in,
and the fun was gone. What does he see in them?
I wondered, trying not to listen to their rough talk.
We left not long after and drove out to the bluff,
where we could see the ships in the harbor, their lights
sparkling through the drizzle. Roger moved closer.
I had been thinking about dinner with Bill and Lyle
and the questions they had answered. Then, because
the smell of smoke was strong on Roger's breath, I
turned my face away.
"Hey, you've been funny all night," he said. "That
Mormon hasn't been beating my time, has he?" I
knew he meant Lyle.
"Don't be silly." I moved away indignantly. "He's
too busy studying to think about girls. Anyway, Rog,
he's a real nice guy. He spent two vears on a mission
for his church."
26
Improvement Era
"Two years!" Roger exclaimed. "Boy, you'd never
catch me giving up two years of my life to be a
missionary!"
I looked at him. His profile from forehead to mouth
was a dark silhouette, but some trick of the light
melted his chin into a formless blur. "Roger," I said
sadly, "don't you care about anything?"
He laughed. "Sure T do. I care about Number One,
that's who."
"Oh, Rog! That isn't funny." My eyes burned with
gathering tears. He reached for me and I pushed him
violently away.
"Okay." There was a long silence broken only by
the rhythm of the windshield wipers. "By the way,"
he said. "I've been meaning to tell you something."
His words fell as cold and steady as the rain outside.
"I've asked Ginger to go with me to the prom. I'm
afraid it will be a little too sophisticated for you."
Then he backed the car onto the road and drove
me home.
Next morning, half submerged in sleep,, I remem-
bered. Roger. He had let me out at the apartment with
no apology, no goodbye. And pride had kept me from
saying a word.
Carefully, I told Mother what had happened. Her
fine brown eyes were sorrowful for me, but I knew
she was relieved. "There'll be other boys," she said.
But I couldn't forget so easily. Like a hand with a
missing finger, there was an empty place that hurt.
I filled pages in my diary and scribbled mournful
poems. I went to movies with my girl friends and
hurried home to see if there had been a call for me.
And when I saw couples walking hand in hand, I
carefully looked the other way.
Lyle must have known what had happened. When
he saw me outside one day, sweeping the front walk,
he said, "Cheer up, Jennie, you're too pretty a girl
to pine away like this." Gratefully I smiled at him.
"Why don't you and your mother come to church
again with Bill and me?" he said.
We did, and once more it was like coming home.
Soon it got to be a habit— Sunday School and sacra-
ment meeting Sunday and Mutual Tuesday night.
Sometimes I went with Mother, or a new friend from
the Church would pick me up. Lots of times I went
with Bill and Lyle. They seemed like the brothers I
had always wished for.
Suddenly it all changed. One Sunday in May I
realized I hadn't really thought of Roger for weeks.
When I smelled the sweet scent of wisteria or heard
a love song on the radio, somehow I seemed to find
myself thinking of Lyle.
It came as a shock. He had always been friendly
to me, but nothing more. Now I wondered, did he
think I still liked Roger? Was I too young? Perhaps
there was someone else.
But I didn't want to think so. My romantic heart
was full of dreams. I took them to school and back
each day, and at night I wrote poetry in my mind
while I dawdled over the dishes. Sometimes, walking
in the early morning, the joy inside me was an electric
charge that must escape through toes and fingertips.
Then one Saturday morning Lyle came to the hall-
way mailbox while I was picking up our mail. He
took the letters from his box.
I tried to sound casual. "Letters from home, Lyle?
I suppose your girl friend writes."
"Sure, every week," he said, glancing up from the
letter he was opening. Then, with a broad grin, "I
didn't know you cared."
The quick tears filled my eyes. Swallowing desper-
ately, I couldn't speak. Lyle, who had gone back to
his letter, looked up again, still smiling. Then his
expression became sober. I lowered my eyes, but the
harm was done. In that brief moment, each of us
had spoken from the heart.
His voice was gentle. "Jennie, I'm sorry, I really
didn't know." He reached for my trembling chin and
raised it. "Come on, now, little sis. Give me a smile."
I managed a grin and tried to think of something light
and funny to say, but nothing came. I just stood there,
smiling and sniffling.
He gave me his handkerchief, then tactfully looked
out the window as I blotted my eyes. "You know,
Jennie, one of the most wonderful principles of the
gospel is eternal marriage. It's something I've been
taught all my life. And even before my mission, I knew
who the girl was that I wanted to marry. You're a lot
like her."
He turned and suddenly ruffled my hair. "In fact,
I just hope that before old Roger realizes what he's
missed you'll join the Church." He said it lightly, but
his eyes held a question.
At last I managed to say something. "Once a mis-
sionary, always a missionary." We laughed together.
Then I went back into our apartment, as Lyle walked
May 1968
27
down the stairs and back to his apartment.
It would have been so easy to stop going to the
Mormon Church. As kind as Lyle had been, I had
been far more humiliated by this rebuff than I had
by Roger's. But I knew that if I stayed away from
the Church because of Lyle— or really, because of my
pride— I'd be losing something that had grown pre-
cious to me.
So the days passed. I wrote in my diaiy, for there
were many thoughts I wanted to put down and sort
out. It took a while, but eventually I realized that I
hadn't really been in love with Lyle. It was just that
he was the kind of person I'd like to be in love with
someday. About Roger, I didn't know. Sometimes
I thought of him, but carefully, as one might gently
touch a newly healed wound.
Then one night he came. How like him to act as
if everything between us were the same as before. It
was a Saturday after supper, and he wanted me to
go dancing with him. "I'm rolling," he said, patting
his hip pocket and smiling in the old magic way.
"I'm sorry, Rog," I told him, "but I've made other
plans."
He looked at me with one eyebrow raised. "Look,
Jen," he said softly. "I'm sorry I didn't call. I never
did take Ginger out, you know. I guess I was just
jealous of that guy downstairs." His dark, heavy-lidded
eyes still had the power to move me.
For a moment I wavered. This could have meant
so much a month before. I wanted to weep. But now
it was too late. What he offered was as counterfeit as
a sand dollar to one who had glimpsed a pearl. How
could I be happy now with anything less?
"I'm sorry, Roger," I said again. "I'm going to a
Mutual party tonight. You see, I've decided to become
a Latter-day Saint."
So we said goodbye, Roger with a tight little smile
that hurt me more than he could have guessed.
» # # *
The hour is late, and I am weary with remembering.
Tomorrow the bishop will call, and I am ready. I ask
myself now, what would my life have been like if I
hadn't known Lyle Holbrook?
I don't think I would ever have married Roger, but
then who can say? Once I thought that life is a river
that eventually, one way or another, leads to the sea.
Whatever the route, I thought, we cannot escape our
return to God. But it isn't always so. A young stream,
diverted from its natural course, can dry up or be
trapped in a stagnant pond.
Because of this, my heart goes out in gratitude to
Lyle Holbrook and to the Church, which sends young
men like him to preach the gospel throughout the
world. For it was in the Church that I met my hus-
band, Jim, and in the Church we were married for
time and all eternity.
Now the call has come for the firstling of our flock.
Is there someone, somewhere, waiting for the mes-
sage he can bring? If there is, then Paul must bring
it. The Lord has given me 20 years of my son's life.
Two years are so few to give in return.
When the bishop calls, Paul will be proud to give
him his answer. As for me, I really made my choice
the night I said goodbye to Roger. O
For a Daughter
By Christie Lund Coles
You used to wake us in the night,
Your childish needs to fill —
A drink, a swift assurance
Your fears to still.
Now you are gone we often wake
And ache for years so swiftly fled,
And sometimes go and stand beside
Your empty bed.
Then came the time we lay awake
Waiting the moment you came in;
You still seemed like the little girl
That you had been.
Yet, seeing small and lovely ones,
With your same eyes,
We sleep, aware that neither one
Woidd have it otherwise.
28
Improvement Era
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May 1968
29
• As the young woman spoke, I
looked at the congregation and
noticed that both young and old
were giving rapt attention. Here
and there an eye was moist with
tears as they listened to her mes-
sage. She was a college student
speaking in a sacrament meeting,
sharing her experiences and testi-
mony. She was attractive in dress
and physical appearance, but it was
her inner beauty that captivated
those present.
Her bearing typified the ideal
Latter-day Saint youth. She
possessed poise, a balanced per-
sonality, strong self-confidence,
enthusiasm, and a radiance of
conviction. Her message expressed
a sincere love for people and the
restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
She was truly "uncommon," and
yet as I sat there I could clearly
visualize many like her— others who
had also become "uncommon."
There came to mind many young
men and women who had devel-
oped similar conviction and radi-
ance of spirit.
I wondered, what has caused
this change? What secrets for
teaching do these young people
hold? What has been the founda-
tion of their learning? What specif-
ically has a teacher done to lay a
foundation that results in such a
change?
I decided to question some of
Uncommon
Teaching of
the Common
By Don F. Colvin
Seminary Coordinator
Ogden Seminaries
Illustrated by Jeanne Lindortl
Improvement Era
"Teaching
Conducted by the
Church School System
these "uncommon" youth. As I
talked with them, some general
principles became quite clear, prin-
ciples worthy of review and
careful analysis.
I decided to question students
regarding the class in which they
had learned the most. The almost
universal response was this: "The
teacher who changed my life the
most showed a sincere interest in
me and was willing to accept me
just as he found me. Sure, he made
mistakes, and his lessons didn't
always click, but there wasn't any-
thing I wouldn't try to do for that
man, because I knew he really
cared. And because he cared, I was
willing to listen."
Such replies convinced me that
those teachers whose students show
sincere response to learning are
those teachers who personally es-
tablish a heart-to-heart relationship
with their students. They create a
learning environment that is evi-
denced by a genuine love for stu-
dents. A healthy rapport is
established, and the confidence and
trust they place in young people
encourage the students to want to
measure up. The teachers' words
ring out with sincerity and convic-
tion as they speak to their classes,
and their students can accept the
message because they know it
comes from real friends.
This type of teacher is always
busy, but not so busy that he can-
not be approached. Somehow his
door is always open, and his stu-
dents know he will take time to
help. He realizes that not all teach-
ing takes place in lesson presenta-
tion, and he is sensitive enough to
student needs that he can capitalize
on teaching moments both in and
out of class. Students call on him
at home and greet him when they
meet downtown, but somehow he
does not seem to mind, for these
are his friends.
Establishing an environment of
sincere personal interest facilitates
communication and is an essential
cornerstone in the foundation of
learning.
"No number or variety of teach-
ing techniques or methods will win
student confidence and loyalty un-
less there is a genuine feeling of
love and concern on the part of
the teacher. His feelings must
arise out of his determination to
remember he is dealing with an
eternal being, a literal child of a
Heavenly Father whose love and
concern for his child are beyond
the comprehension of even the
most devoted teacher. Only when
he relates to his students in this
frame of reference will he be con-
sidered a worthy exemplar after
whom they can pattern their own
lives." (Ernest Eberhardt, Jr., "The
Techniques of 'Doer Teaching,' '
The Improvement Era, April 1967,
p. 67. )
Another respondent noted this:
"One thing I liked about my favor-
ite teacher is that I never knew
what to expect next. He was always
coming up with different and var-
ied ways of making his lesson
interesting. We looked forward to
his class because we knew there
would be something there for us."
Thus, a proper foundation for
learning is laid by a teacher who is
thoroughly prepared and who has
taken time to think through how he
will present his material. He does
not take students' interest for
granted; he captures their attention
and focuses their interest upon
gospel principles. Interest in this
type of a class becomes sponta-
neous and natural.
"My teacher used to say, 'Living
the gospel should put a smile on
your face, a kick to your step, and
give you a joyous zest for life and
all that it has to offer.' This made
sense to me, and as he taught the
principles of the gospel, I was led
to see that they were practical. I
found that I could live them, and
I wanted to know more. I had al-
ways looked at the scriptures and
Church history as things of the
past, but my teacher made them
come to life."
Some dedicated teachers who
possess a great love for the gospel
have developed such a pious, emo-
tional, or even too-serious approach
to life that their attitudes act as a
wall between them and their stu-
dents. A student may cry out in
frustration, "It's beyond me. I just
can't be that spiritual."
Ideals and perfection often ap-
pear to students as distant goals
and almost impossible to attain.
They want religion to be a satisfy-
ing way of life that can be applied
on their level. When they can ex-
perience the joy of success by
living practical, reachable goals
along the way to their ideals, they
derive happiness from proper
adjustment to life and its circum-
stances. No better formula for
happiness has ever been devised
than the gospel of Jesus Christ.
May 1968
31
"Try as he might, a teacher cannot change the character of a student."
It is obvious that some students
enter religion classes with a built-
in attitude of boredom, an attitude
that has been conditioned by pre-
vious experience in the study of
religion. They have been bored by
classes at Church and in schools
where emphasis has been placed on
facts, figures, and a mountain of
seemingly meaningless detail. They
view the past as something dead
and gone. They are thrilled with
the present, and are captivated by
problems and events that are here
and now.
There is little to be gained by a
cold, isolated study of the scrip-
tures. If they have no relevance to
life today, they are of little value.
However, the scriptures and
religious history do record eternal
principles and experiences that
have their proper place and appli-
cation in helping man solve and
prevent problems he faces today.
They contain the key to a fullness
of life and to happiness. To the
teacher falls the task of making
these principles and experiences of
the past come alive as a vital and
significant part of life in the twen-
tieth century.
As teachers prepare their lessons,
they must take time to think of
parallels and applications of their
subject matter to life today. They
must also think through the prob-
lem of how to present these paral-
lels and applications naturally and
successfully.
In order to do this, the teacher
must so live that the stories of
scriptural concepts become a part
of him. He must avoid involvement
with details; instead, he must
place emphasis on great ideas or
concepts and their effects upon
people. By the effective use of
stories, analogies, discussions, prob-
lem solving, and other related
methods, the history and scriptures
of the Church can be made mean-
ingful in the lives of students.
In a study of the scriptures, stu-
dents should vicariously walk with
Jesus and the prophets and thus
come to see as they saw, to feel
as they felt. Students must be moti-
vated to empathize with the great
characters of the scriptures. When
this type of relationship is estab-
lished, they will thrill with the
scriptures. Furthermore, they will
be more inclined to go back and
study the scriptures throughout
the remainder of their lives.
Those teachers who make the
gospel meaningful and functional
to students are known by the re-
sults. Their students are not bored;
they hunger to be fed. They are
making progress in application of
gospel principles. Somehow re-
ligion starts to make sense and
becomes palatable.
Another student said, "One thing
that stands out about our teacher
is that he really inspires us to dig
and find our own answers. I have
never learned and grown so much
as I have under the guidance of
this man."
This comment stands out in
sharp contrast to the practice of
some egocentric teachers who pro-
vide all the answers and constitute
the whole show. They spoonfeed
students, denying them the growth
that they need. Students tend to be
apathetic and often let a teacher
get away with such an approach.
Teachers who have greater confi-
dence in their students' abilities to
learn challenge them to discover
for themselves.
Testimony is a personal attain-
ment; it does not come from listen-
ing alone. The degree to which a
student becomes personally in-
volved and participates in the
learning process is in direct propor-
tion to the amount of growth ex-
pected. Meaningful problems must
be raised, and students should be
led to find their own answers.
Successful teachers accept their
students as they are, inspire self-
confidence in them, and encourage
them in their struggles to learn and
apply gospel principles. They are
tolerant of mistakes, and they en-
courage and guide students to find
their own answers. Above all, they
are willing to let a student try.
Much of the teaching done in the
name of religious instruction results
in verbalization. Instead of pro-
moting self-growth on the part of
their students, some teachers be-
come enamored with the sound of
their own voices and fall prey to
the temptation of providing the
quick answer. Such practice ac-
complishes little more than paint-
ing on veneer. This type of teaching
does not soak into the grain of the
soul and result in changed be-
havior.
Try as he might, a teacher can-
not change the character of a stu-
dent. Change, if it comes, must
come from within. Our role, then,
is one of stimulating, challenging,
inspiring, provoking, encouraging,
and (most important) guiding. O
32
Improvement Era
Marion D. Hanks, Editor
Elaine Cannon, Associate Editor
The Smokeless
Generation
Photo by Linda Banks
Sheri Ward and Becky Hathaway
Make Yours a
Smokeless Generation
or... Putting Out the Fire!
By Elaine Cannon
Photo by Linda Banks
^^^
t
mil i mm in'Wiinitir^-°fJ,Tr"'- '**""'
to Uj **
• It's great that you're smarter
than the adults you see all around
you smoking their health and their
money away. Of course, when they
were your age, they didn't know
what you know about the troubles
that go with smoking.
Since you don't smoke, be a good
friend and help others to with-
stand brainwashings, advertise-
ments, and temptings of all kinds
that lead to smoking. Make yours a
smokeless generation! Here are
some good reasons why :
1. Smoking is contrary to the
revealed word of God.
2. The evidence is overwhelming
that smoking is dangerous, dis-
abling, frequently fatal.
3. It is expensive and offensive.
4. It is discourteous.
5. It enslaves.
Honestly, is there a single re-
deeming factor about smoking? o
'*' (
These teens from Butler Stake, Salt Lake County, are Don Cannon,
Steve Shelton, Jerri Sorenson, Gerry Graves, Joanne Aim, Sheri
Ward, Nancy MacKay, Byron Kelly, Becky Hathaway, Katny Sorenson,
Mike Christensen, David 8 ruse-, Shannon Sullivan, Susan Gill,
Jay Stocks.
IIP
Why!
Don't Smoke
Cigarettes
By Michele Patrick
Miss American Teenager
Miss Patrick, 17, of Bethesda, Maryland, was chosen "Miss
American Teenager" from 53 finalists in the eighth annual
"Miss American Teenager" pageant, held in September, at
Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, New Jersey. She is a
senior at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda.
Ever since I can remember, my father has
warned me about smoking cigarettes, Dad is a
very relaxed, liberal parent about most things,
but on the subject of cigarettes he is neither. I
remember only too well the day when I was about
eight that my brother (he is five years older) was
caught smoking,
Dad's objections to smoking made a strong im-
pression on me. And everything he had said made
even more sense to me when the Surgeon Gen-
eral's Report on Smoking and Health came out
in 1964.
Another thing that made a very strong impres-
sion on me about the dangers of smoking was an
American Cancer Society movie that was shown
to our eighth grade. I don't think there was
anyone in the class who wasn't shaken by that
film. Today, four years later, I still remember it.
I know that without good health I will never be
able to do the things I want to do in my lifetime.
And I want to do a lot of things. Right now, at
17, I'm working on getting through my senior
year of high school, and one of my big interests is
sports car racing. I'm a member of the pit crew
for a racing team. Kind of unusual for a girl,
but it's active and exciting-— and I love it! Some
people call this a dangerous sport, but I don't think
36
it's half as dangerous an activity as smoking.
My other hobbies include singing, dancing/sew-
ing, modeling, and painting. But my life's ambi-
tion is to become a teacher and to work with
children. I plan to major in education in college,
and when I finish I hope very much to serve in
the Peace Corps or in Vista, and then to take up
my teaching career.
I've noticed that most boys who don't smoke
don't like to date girls with cigarette breath or
the smell of smoke in their hair and clothes. My
boyfriend has made it very clear to me that our
friendship won't last very long if I start smoking.
I didn't really need him to convince me about
smoking; I was already convinced. But it is, I
think, another very good reason for my not being
tempted to take up the habit.
Here's the best way I can sum up my reasons
for not smoking: Why should I give up the good
life — for no life? Why should anyone?
I have a great poster titled "We'll Miss Ya,
Baby," that kids the smoking habit. It pictures
different kinds of teenage smokers — the wise guy,
the femme fatale, and a couple of other die-hard
types. I think it's really terrific, and it can be
framed and hung. If you'd like one for your room,
or as a hint to a smoking friend, I'd be glad to
mail you one. Write me: Michele Patrick, Miss
American Teenager Contest, Palisades Amuse-
ment Park, Palisades, New Jersey 0702U.
Determining to make theirs a
"smokeless generation, some
Salt Lake youth climb on the
antique red wagon owned by
Stanford P. Darger. Pictured
left to right are John Darger,
Anne Darger, Margaret Sand-
burg, Ann Morgan, John
Morgan, Sam Grover, Jane
Darger, Vicki Morgan, Kent
Douglas, Paula Romney, Mag-
gi Miner, Victor Kimball, Holly
Cannon, Patty Morgan.
■:,■■;■;.
Illustration by Don- Young
LIVES THAT STAHD
iNSPEOTiorseries
38
Era of Youth
The
Gunship Leader
By Marion D. Hanks
• The whirling blades of a heli-
copter gunship don't provide
much shade for a conversation
in the sun, nor, for that matter,
is the setting favorable for hear-
ing one another. It was all the
more puzzling that the young air-
man should be approaching his
commanding officer just as the
major was preparing to board his
ship to lead his unit on a danger-
ous mission. As he thought about
the incident later, Major Allen
recalled that he may have
sounded a bit impatient as he
spoke to the obviously nervous
young man. "Well, what is it,
Hobson?" he asked. "It's time
to load Up, you know.
"Yes sir, I know," the boy re-
plied. "But. . . sir,I'd like to ask
a question, if you don't mind.
The commanding officer's face
softened as the crewman blurted
out his urgent inquiry: "Me and
some of the guys just wondered.,
sir, if you've had time to pray
yet this morning."
"Yes, son," said Major Allen,
very gently now. "I have had
time to pray."
"Thank you very much, sir,"
he smiled, relieved. "We didn't
want to start on this mission until
you'd prayed."
Maior Alien, former mission-
ary, district president, faithful
Latter-day Saint, pondered in his
heart the implications of that im-
portant question and testimony
as he led another highly danger-
ous mission in the service of his
country. The fact that the unit
had suffered many casualties
without a fatality was widely
known. To the men in the group
it had something very important
to do with their commander and
his prayers. There had been no
preaching on the subject, only
a keen sense of appreciation
through the unit for a command-
ing officer who led them fear-
lessly and very skillfully in their
dangerous work, and who had
something special about him that
involved prayer. O
May 1968
39
Let's Talk About:
Obligation
vs.
By Lindsay R. Curtis, M.D.
• "I may go back to church someday, but right
now I am so glad to be out from under the pres-
sure and the obligation to go that I think I'll just
enjoy the freedom for a while." It was 190-pOurid,
handsome, likeable Glenn who was talking.
Glenn, 23, a college graduate, is newly married
to pert and pretty Lori and has just started to
work for a growing business firm* "For years now
I have been pressured to attend church, to accept
various church assignments, to pay tithing, and
to do a lot of things just because of Dad's position
in the Church. Now that I am on my own, I want
a vacation from church and church responsibility.
If and when I get ready, I'll come back."
Glenn slumped back in his chair with a great
sigh of emancipation. To him it seemed as though
he had just unburdened himself of a great load
he had grudgingly carried for a long time.
But I had known Glenn and his family for
many years — too many to accept what Glenn said
without comment. "That's strange, Glenn*" I
said. "I had never pictured your dad as the type
of man who stood over you with a club and made
you go to church."
"Oh, he didn't exactly stand over me with a
club."
"Did he ever force you to go to church?"
"Not really, I suppose. But we were expected
to go to church."
"What do you mean, expected to go?"
"It Was just the thing that we did in our house.
Everybody went to church. And practically every
time there was a meeting, you could count on our
family to be there. I figure I've been to church
enough to last me the rest of my life."
"Didn't you ever enjoy going to church?"
"Oh, yes, I suppose I did, but I just think I
resented having to go all the time."
"There you go, saying you had to go, when you
don't really mean that."
"You know what I mean. At least now I am
independent and feel under no obligation to go to
church or to do anything else I don't want to do."
"Glenn, why do you suppose your dad goes to
church or puts in the hours he does as bishop of
the ward?"
"I wonder if he doesn't feel obligated."
"Obligated to whom?"
"To the stake president, I guess."
"Guess again."
"Okay-^— to the Lord."
"Do you suppose, then, that by getting married,
starting your own home, and moving away from
your parents, you suddenly are released from all
obligation to the Lord ? Why don't we change that
word from obligation to responsibility? Is there
any change in status that suddenly releases us
from our responsibilities ?
"You know, Glenn, when we are younger, our
parents sometimes have to use a little pressure,
sometimes even the pressure of the back of the
hand or a small willow, to impress us with our
responsibilities. There are certain jobs to be done,
certain rules to be followed, certain lessons of
conduct to live within. As we become older, it is
hoped that pressure no longer is necessary, because
we realize the necessity for these rules and our
obedience to them.
"To the lawbreaker, a policeman is known as a
harrassment, as something to be feared, as 'fuzz.'
But to the law-abider, he is known as protection,
as a friend, as someone who looks out for us.
"Are you about to hold it against your father
for teaching you correct principles, for showing
you the way to go— and without force? Would
you prefer that he had set a bad example for you?"
"Man, you certainly turn things around, don't
you?" Glenn twisted uneasily in his chair.
"Do I? I had really hoped to straighten out
some of these things. You see, your dad doesn't
even enter into the picture with you right now be-
cause you have started your own home. But you
will never escape the jurisdiction ; of your Father
in heaven. If you can neglect your responsibilities
to him and feel right about it, okay. But I doubt
that you can. In fact, there is no place on earth
you can go to escape his influence, and I know
there is no place in heaven to escape it,"
I waited, as Glenn seemed deep in thought.
After a moment he said, "I suppose I have been
projecting the whole thing onto Dad. I. do love
him dearly, and I appreciate his example. I've
always been proud of him and his devotion to the
Lord. All you have said I really deserve. Sunday
will probably find me back doing what I've known
all along I should be doing." 0
40
Efa of Youth
He Heard the Truth
By Ashley Hallwood
Croydon Branch, British Mission
• So many wonderful things have happened to me
in the few months since I became a member of
Christ1 s restored church that it hardly seems possible
that as recently as June of last year 1 knew little or
nothing about the Mormons.
Through the media of television, films, and
books, 1 had formulated a set of ill-conceived
fallacies, which I took to be facts, about that strange
cult of people who claimed to have had the gospel
restored to them by a deluded madman named
Joseph Smith. I believed the Mormons to be nothing
more than a highly fanatical and puritanical religious
sect who practiced polygamy and based their doc-
trines on a mumbo jumbo of so-called divine revela-
tions from God.
It was while I was vacationing in New York City
that I first encountered Mormons in the form of two
clean-cut, smartly dressed, young missionary elders.
When they knocked on my door and told me that
they had a message for me about a second witness
for Christ, known as the Book of Mormon, I was
impressed by their sincerity and the glowing en-
thusiasm with which they unfolded their story of a
living prophet called by God in our own time.
But, because of the myth that I had built up in
my mind about Mormons, I wasn't at all interested
at the time in what they had to say. There were
countless numbers of different sectarian groups,
each claiming to be the only true church. Why should
this one be any different? What did they have that
was so special, that set them apart from every-
one else?
I only half listened to them, took the Book of
Mormon that they offered to me, and, more to
please them than anything else, agreed to let them
send a couple of elders to tell me more when I re-
turned to England. I never for one moment thought
I'd see or hear of them again. I packed my Book of
Mormon away in the depths of my suitcase as noth-
ing more than an unusual book with which to im-
press my friends. I promptly forgot about the whole
thing and returned to my own way of life.
But life was soon to change for me. If anyone
had told me then that I would lay aside worldly
pleasures for the happiness that only the love and
knowledge of God can bring, I would have laughed
in his face. But now I can bear testimony to the fact
that this Is what happened, that I no longer need or
even miss my former life. Life for me has become a
thing of joy and exaltation.
It all happened so very fast once I arrived home
in England. Almost immediately I found another
pair of elders on my doorstep; and this time, thanks
be to God, I decided to listen to what they had to
say. 1 had plenty of time on my hands; it could do
no harm to give them a hearing and make an honest
effort to assimilate their words, whether or not I
accepted them as true. So I listened, and as they
unfolded their story I suddenly knew, as if in a flash
of inspiration from heaven, that what they were
saying was true.
All my life I had wanted to believe in some sort of
a god, and my search for the truth had taken me
from church to church. None of them seemed to
have what I was looking for. I vainly tried to accept
their doctrines and teachings, but for me there was
always something missing. I couldn't put my finger
on it, but I knew in my heart that there was some-
thing more, if only I could find it. And here it was,
at long last, staring me in the face. I had found the
truth, and I knew it!
But the elders told me not to take their word that
the things they said were true. They told me that if
I humbled myself in prayer before my Heavenly
Father and asked him, then he would manifest the
truth to me. So I learned to pray for the first time,
and found to my surprise that it really did work.
Since then prayer has become a very necessary and
richly rewarding part of my life, for now I know that
I have a Heavenly Father to whom I can talk just as
to a friend, and who really does hear me and an-
swer my prayers.
So convinced was I by the elders' words that the
very next day I accompanied them to church and,
a mere three weeks later, felt proud and privileged
to be baptized and confirmed a member of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since
then I've never looked back. I've had no regrets,
no longings for my former life. Every day I'm find-
ing that my testimony continues to grow. I recently
had the double honor of being ordained a deacon
in the Aaronic Priesthood and of being called as a
district missionary. I appreciate the loyal help and
support that I find in my branch. The warm love
and fellowship that we have one for another only
serves to convince me more each day that God lives.
As members of his true Church, we have the^great-
est honor and responsibility that man can attain-r
to devote our lives to the glory of God and to the
winning of souls for his celestial kingdom. O
May 1968
41
A camel is a horse made by a committee, accord-
ing to some humorists, but learning to work well
together in leadership situations is important for
Latter-day Saint youth growing up in a lay church.
Stay on the right track, teens remind each other,
as they balance on the rails of the little train at
the zoo.
Who's who at the zoo may have something to
do with you if you are willing to learn lessons from
the caged and captive creatures . . .' and from the
wooded worlds of zoos wherever one finds them.
(Photos-taken on location at San Diego Zoo in California by Ralph
Reynolds and at Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City by Eldon Linschoten.)
The
Zoo
and
You
Climbing into your shell, like a turtle, is missing
the challenge of life. Come out of hiding. You're
only young once.
"Getting your goat" can have serious conse-
quences if it means you lose your cool and control.
42
Era of Youth
Making like monkeys is strictly for fun, but
the "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" slogan
grandma learned is wise advice for this genera-
tion, too.
Daniel in the lion's den is a favorite story for
teens playing it brave with a fancy fountain. It
takes all kinds of moral courage to keep one's
head these days.
Ducks of a feather — like Mormons — swim better
together. It's easier to live the standards of the
Church in good company.
A tender moment with a brand new baby chick
—and a fresh marveling at the miracle of life.
May 1968
43
meetings and spreading the word of
the gospel, however, are not their only
tasks. They also organize all kinds of
activities for fellowshiping new mem-
bers. There are Hawaiians, Tongans,
and Samoans represented in the
group.
Belonging to a worldwide church
has many advantages. Not the least
of these is being able to cross paths
with Mormons who are just your age
and who are doing very different things,
but who are also doing' some of the
same things Church-wise.
Reed Fisher is a senior at Tate High
School in Pensacola, Florida, where he
serves as student body president and
has responsibilities for assemblies. He's
a surfer, a musician, a friend to many,
and a devoted servant of his .Heavenly
Father.
Tani Madsen, daughter of Bishop and
Mrs. Lyman Madsen of Colton, Cali-
fornia, was recipient of the coveted
American Legion school award in recog-
nition of her selection as the outstand-
ing girl in her class, She's 15, musically
talented, and a seminary student.
There are some young people who
go through the extra effort to excel
in many fields. Mike Runyan has
proved that extra effort is indeed re-
warding. At age ten he was organist
for priesthood meeting, even though
he was too young to. hold the priest-
hood. He received his Eagle award in
■ the minimum time required. He has
been on the school honor roil each
quarter' and was chosen to join the
honors society as a result of his activi-
ties and grade point average. Today,
at 14, he is the ward organist, an offi-
cer, in his priesthood quorum, a patrol
leader, and holds a steady job. Denver
Stake claims him. ;
"... when you carry the gospel to
them, they receive it with open hearts."
These words of President Joseph
Fielding Smith are being accepted as a
challenge by, a group of youth mis-
sionaries in American Samoa. Fifty-
three of these young Latter-day Saints
met to organize the "Y-Mbm's" (Young
Missionaries of Mapusaga) and to
spread the gospel. Arranging cottage
Carol Wooten of the Henderson
(Nevada) Third Ward, Lake Mead Stake,
is the first girl to receive the gold
medallion award in that area. She has
had nearly 100 percent attendance at
all of her meetings over the years. She
is a talented musician and honor
student at school.
The Cardston (Alberta Stake, Canada)
First Ward junior girls won the regional
volleyball tournament trophy for the
44
Era of Youth
fourth consecutive time. They were the
only undefeated team in the tourna-
ment. Players are April Cameron, Lor-
raine Palmer, Lori Beazer, Millie
Hotomaine, Pat Alfred, Brenda Beazer,
Maurren Quinton, and Debbie Leavitt.
'0
t:
Susan Coombs and Vernon Roche are
outstanding Church youth who were
named all-around cowboy and cowgirl
at the Utah State championship rodeo
for high school students. Susan has
won a seminary award for scholarship
and a college language award for her
excellence in Spanish. She serves on
the youth missionary committee. Ver-
non is a seminary graduate and star
basketball player, and was named to
the all-star football team. He's an ac-
tive priesthood member.
Portland District seminary youth
have had marvelous success in their
leadership training sessions, and part
of the credit goes to student planners
Mike Forkner, Kay Potter, Dianna Matt-
son, Mike Johnson, Sherida Evans, Paul
Hendengren, Tim Grossnickle, Ray
Short, Dan Bean, and Weldon Thacker.
SRn mfiRino
COIIGREGflTlOnflL CHURCH
+ SUN0SY SERVICES*
At the invitation of the Reverend
Bertrand Cristi, a group of Latter-day
Saint youth in Los Angeles have been
holding their seminary services in his
building. Participants in this brother-
hood experience are Marianne Manns,
Lynnae Startup, Nancy Startup, Keidi
Kratzer, Mary Jane Richy, Rosie Arm-
strong, Phil Ellsworth, Chris Robinson,
Tad Gwynn, Cheryl Anderson, Charlotte
Stout, and Cathie Thody.
Winters, California, residents mar-
veled when Latter-day Saint teens in
the area got together and remodeled a
fruit-packing shed to Use as their very
own seminary building. Involved in
the project were Lorna Warren, teacher-
Gay Morgan, her assistant; and students
Karren Beck, Kenneth Busbee, Sandra
Busbee, Connie Clark, Howard Clark,
and Joyce Warren.
of the College Bowl team that went
through five sessions undefeated. An
active member of the Church now, he
has a strong testimony. After reading
the Book of Mormon he said, "This
has been a revolutionary week in my
life." He then asked to be baptized
at once. He was recently honored by
the Belvoir branch of the Scientific Re-
search Society of America for winning
their fifth annual scientific achievement
award. (This usually goes to much
older scientists.)
William T. Wyatt, Jr., is a new con-
vert and a graduate of the University
of Virginia, where he was a member
Dale Haynes Densley was honored by
teammates recently for compiling the
highest number of individual points
for the YMCA swim team. Dale is
president of his priesthood quorum in
Yakima Second Ward, Yakima, Wash-'
ington. He's also on the school honor
roll.
May 1968
45
Jay Lucas is setting an impressive
example for friends and family alike.
He is the only member of his imme-
diate family to join the Church and- is
a member of the Radford (Virginia)
Branch. He is the only Mormon in
his high school, where he is editor of
the yearbook and has served as student
body president. He has won many
awards for his ability as a pianist.
Spec. 5 Harold Ethington is a service-
man with winning ways. While stationed
at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he won top
honors in the musical talent contest
for his post and region, and earned a«
place with the traveling troupe to en-
tertain servicemen throughout the
Fourth Army area. He is from Yuba
City, California, and has served a mis-
sion to Central America. He plans to
attend BYU wheri he returns from duty
in Vietnam.
Renae Stone, a pretty blonde Mor-
mon from Draper, Utah, has sprouted
wings and is spanning the Pacific as
a Pan American Airways hostess. She
filled a mission to the Eastern Atlan-
tic States and is now serving aboard
a jet clipper flying to the south seas.
When, the young people of West-
chester Ward, New York Stake, asked
permission to give a play by them-
selves, the MIA leaders agreed. Patti
Marrone, Susan Nibley, and Pat Stod-
dard were the guiding lights. They
staged "Harvey" with resounding suc-
cess.
Jeanne Veylupek of Pasadena, Cali-
fornia, has won 11 individual awards
consecutively. This is no small fete.
But in addition she has had 100 percent
attendance in all of her seminary
and church meetings for 11 years! She
is a Golden Gleaner and claims that
working musically with young children
is the best of all her Church positions.
Jeannette Walker is a member of the
Engtewood Ward, Denver South Stake.
She has won top honors in home
economics at school, and besides being,
a regular seminary student and talented
pianist, she sews her own clothes.
John Stewart of Brighton, Colorado,
was selected as one of the ,13 Scouts
from various, regions of the United
States to participate in the "Report to
the Nation" with President Lyndon B.
Johnson this year. ' He was also this
year's winner in his area for the Voice
of 'Democracy essay contest. John is
a star basketball player, a thespian of
some fame at his high school, and was
recently chosen as an outstanding
student for his country because of
activities and scholarship. He is
planning to fill a mission.
46,
Era of Youth
• - '-•■• ' '
Good Thoughts
By John Randolph Stidman
• In a recent magazine article, a
writer asked the person inter-
viewed why she seemed so happy
and satisfied with her work. One
of her striking answers contained
this statement: "The main thing is,
I think good thoughts."
Not only is this a rational philos-
ophy for good minds, but the idea
is also full of beauty and grace.
Keep your mind as a storehouse of
good things, and there will be no
room for anything else.
The place to look for good things
is, first and foremost, the Holy
Bible. It offers peace, beauty,
knowledge, warning, advice, his-
tory, art, literature, poetry, and
many other priceless things to en-
rich the mind that reaches out to
take them.
From this treasure house of
beauty come the immortal words of
Ruth, full of music and poetry,
speaking to her mother-in-law,
Naomi: "Intreat me not to leave
thee, or to return from following
after thee: for whither thou goest,
I will go; and where thou lodgest,
I will lodge; thy people shall be
my people, and thy God my God."
(Ruth 1:16.)
In the pastoral rhapsody of the
twenty-third psalm, we read, "The
Lord is my shepherd; I shall not
want." The calm assurance of
peace contained in this great psalm
may be felt in every phase of
human life. Many times these
comforting words have been read
to persons moving out of this world
into the great adventure beyond.
With full confidence in the mes-
sage, they look for their place
"beside the still waters."
There is another good thought
that may strike the mind like a
chord of music. In Psalm 139,
David praises God for his all-
embracing providence. In verses of
true poetry, the psalmist sings of
the constancy of his God: "If I take
the wings of the morning, and
dwell in the uttermost parts of the
sea; Even there shall thy hand lead
me, and thy right hand shall hold
me." The wings of the morning.
What beauty lies in this metaphor!
The mind, in its quest for peace
and contentment, may find good
thoughts in abundance just by
seeking them out and holding on
to them. Look around; they are
available in every direction, ready
to flood the inner consciousness
with rewarding pleasure.
Paul sounded a mighty chord of
majestic music that excites the
mind in its quest for beauty and
expression:
"Though I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels, and
have not charity, I am become as
sounding brass, or a tinkling cym-
bal." (1 Cor. 13:1.) He follows these
words with this stirring eulogy:
"And now abideth faith, hope,
charity, these three; but the
greatest of these is charity," (1 Cor.
13:13.)
For more good thoughts, let the
mind dwell on the lives of those
who have died for their convic-
tions. Follow them through fire
and flood, fighting and enduring
great privations for a cause. Or
stand upon a mountaintop and see
the mighty picture God has painted
for you. "The heavens declare the
glory of God; and the firmament
sheweth his handywork." (Ps. 19:1.)
Consider God's magic in all the
growing things, in sun, rain, and
forest. Look at a rose and drink in
its fragrance.
The healthy, imaginative mind
is always working, planning, ex-
ploring, and moving into new ad-
ventures. Impelled by good
thoughts, there is no limit to what
we may achieve toward a success-
ful life in this world and the world
hereafter.
Thinking good thoughts is like
opening the window of a dark
room and flooding it with fresh air
and sunshine, like rising to a higher
level and dwelling on the rooftops
in a penthouse of gracious living.
Holding good thoughts in the mind
will help it to rise above any storm
of evil designs.
Good thoughts are spiritual
jewels that we may obtain freely,
enjoying their shining brilliance to
our heart's content. They inspire
clean living, and they may produce
the motive power that impels one
to reach for the highest goals.
From dark alleys, gloomy work-
shops, and all the commonplace
things of life, good thoughts may,
like birds, soar across mountain-
tops, golden fields of grain, the
wide sweep of the sea, rolling hills,
and singing rivers— all working to-
gether under the governing hand
of God. There is also a rewarding
element of peace and refreshment
in just allowing the mind to bathe
itself in good and beautiful
thoughts.
Good thoughts inspire good
works, and good works are the
passport to heaven. O
May 1968
47
All-Church Basketball Champions
Seventy-two teams competed in the finals of the
all-Church basketball tournament during week-long
competition in Salt Lake City. In the 32-team senior
division, Holladay Third Ward of the Holladay (Salt Lake
County) Stake defeated Baldwin Park (California)
of the West Covina Stake, 75-68, for first place.
College division champions are Brigham Young University
Third Ward, BYU Second Stake, who defeated
University of Utah Sixth Ward, University Second Stake,
87-71. In the 32-team junior division, South Weber
(Utah) Ward of Weber Heights Stake beat Bennion Ward,
Taylorsville (Salt Lake County) Stake, 50-40.
Winners of sportsmanship trophies were Mesa
(Arizona) First Ward, Maricopa Stake, senior division,
and Sugar City (Idaho) Ward, North Rexburg Stake,
junior division. Most valuable player awards went to
Gary Stahl, Holladay Third Ward, and Corry Jones,
Baldwin Park Ward, senior division; Rich Bennion, BYU
Third Ward, college division; and Henry Pluim,
South Weber Ward, junior division.
48
Improvement Era
New University Presidents
Dr. John T. Bernhard, dean of the College of Social
Sciences at Brigham Young University, has been named
president of Western Illinois University. The
9,000-student university is located at Macomb, Illinois,
about 40 miles east of Nauvoo, center of early
Church history. The university is expected to increase to
18,000 students by 1975. Brother Bernhard
recently returned from two years as an adviser
to the University of Minas Gerais in Brazil.
Dr. Glen L. Taggart, dean of International Studies
and Programs at Michigan State University, has been
named president of Utah State University at Logan, Utah.
He will succeed Dr. Daryl Chase, who will be named
president emeritus. Brother Taggart has served
as vice-chancellor of the University of Nigeria and as a
consultant to governments, universities, and
foundations in 38 countries.
The LDS Scene
Dayton Superintendent
Dr. Wayne M. Carle of
the Columbus (Ohio)
Second Ward has
been named superintendent
of the 60,000-pupil
Dayton, Ohio, public
school system. The district
has a total of 68
schools. Brother Carle
was formerly assistant
state superintendent
of public instruction in
Ohio.
Dramas Requested
Nathan B. Hale, chairman of the Young Men's Mutual
Improvement Association speech committee,
Frances Boyden, chairman of the YWMIA drama committee,
and Francis L. Urry, member of the YMMIA drama
committee, examine a new script submitted for
publication in a new MIA play book. Playwrights are
encouraged to submit plays with plots that adhere
to LDS standards. Productions featuring all-girl or mostly
girl casts are particularly needed. Plays should
be sent to MIA Drama Committee, 79 South State,
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111.
"Bye Bye, Birdie" to Europe
Fifteen Brigham Young University student cast
members of the musical "Bye Bye, Birdie" are currently
touring Europe for eight weeks for the U.S.
Department of Defense. The play, a spoof on teenage
Americans and their music idols, is directed
by Dr. Harold I. Hansen of BYU's Speech and Dramatic
Arts Department. Following the tour of U.S. military
bases, the troupe will perform for two weeks in
England and Scandinavia for members of the Church.
"Bye Bye, Birdie" is the third USO-sponsored show
presented by BYU.
May 1968
49
A Letter to Mother
• I didn't understand, until later,
the reason for the feeling of sad-
ness that lay so heavily on my heart
that particular morning. It had
started early, even before I had
risen from my bed. Indeed, it must
have awakened me from a troubled
sleep, and I remained awake,
struggling with a feeling of such
inexpressible sadness that I had the
strangest desire to weep, but I did
not know why.
During the remainder of those
early hours I tried to recover from
the emotional disturbance within
me. After I arrived at my office, I
closed the door and began sorting
the papers on my desk that needed
my attention: contracts and agree-
ments to be studied, correspon-
dence to be read, letters to be
written. Letters! With a sudden
twinge of conscience I remembered
a letter I had neglected to write,
one that I had been telling myself
I would write— soon. How easy to
promise, and how easy to forget.
How natural to put off until a more
convenient time that which did
not demand the present time. Well,
now was the time, and so I wrote:
Dearest Mom:
I have had such a feeling
of loneliness this morning
that I feel the need to tell
you how much I love you and
miss the close companion-
ship I so much enjoyed when
I was home with you and Dad.
If I have neglected to tell
you this as often as I
should, I hope you will for-
give me. And since you are
the kind of mother you are,
I know forgiveness is in
your heart even before I ask
for it.
As I think of the words I
should write, I remember the
years that have passed since
my childhood - years of your
love and sacrifice that are
now so vivid in my memory but
which, during those early
years, were so much taken
for granted. And I know you
would not have had it other-
wise, for thoughts of obli-
gation of child to parents
would have taken away much
of the happiness of that
world in which I lived. How-
ever, if I had known then, or
if I had been capable of
fully comprehending, your
sacrifices, the depth of my
gratitude and my acknowl-
edgment of it might have
been hastened.
For some reason my memory
of those years is more vivid
this morning than ever be-
fore. As I sit here, it is as
though you are very near to
me. I almost feel your pres-
ence by my side. How wonder-
ful is the truth revealed
through the Prophet Joseph
Smith - that our spirits,
that eternal part of us, may
commune with each other and
ignore the distances that
separate us !
As I grew older, I began
to understand the meaning of
the bits of conversation I
heard concerning the story
of my birth. I began to un-
derstand the great physical
sacrifice you made that I
might possess a body and
enter into this phase of my
probation. When I learned
that for many days after my
birth you hovered between
life and death, I wondered,
and still ask the question:
can anything I do in life
compensate for such sacri-
fice?
I have tried to make com-
pensation, but my efforts
fail when compared to the
ever-increasing sum of the
gifts I have received from
you and Dad, the teachings
by precept and example that
have guided my life and re-
turned me, time after time,
to the straight path. Will
there be time in the eterni-
ties to make payment in
full? If not, how sweet the
indebtedness and how tender
and loving the ones to whom
payment is due !
I have been reasonably
successful in my business
affairs. Were it not that
the thought is unkind, I
could almost wish that you
and Dad needed my help. But
even as I think of it I can
almost hear you say, as you
have said many times, "Son,
your continued progress in
the kingdom of God is, to us,
more than payment in full
50
Improvement Era
Richard L. Evans
The Spoken Word
By William T. Sykes
Editorial Associate
for all we have done. " Such
ties of indebtedness add
strength to the seal that
binds the children to their
fathers and mothers in love
and gratitude throughout
eternity. There never fails
to be an endearing relation-
ship between the giver of
the gift and the receiver,
if spirits are in tune and
hearts are filled with love
and gratitude. I know it is
so, for I have felt it in my
life, and I have seen it in
yours. It is one of the few
enduring things we can cling
to in this sadly mixed-up
world.
I hope your understanding
heart will fill in those
words I grope for and cannot
find. And I wish, oh so ear-
nestly, there could be some
way to hasten that time when
a child begins to fully un-
derstand and appreciate the
love that lies in a mother' s
heart !
Your loving son,
Robert
I sat quietly for a moment and
then folded the letter. I was plac-
ing it in an envelope when my
secretary entered, a telegram in her
hand. I opened it and read:
Dear Son: Your mother
passed away early this morn-
ing. We had not known of her
heart condition. Her last
words were, "Tell Robert I
love him. " Dad O
Young people sometimes seem to decide to go it alone in life. They
learn a little and feel they have learned much more, and often fail
to seek counsel because they think they already know the answer
— or at least the one they want. But none of us— at any age— is ever so
old or so young, so knowledgeable or so self-assured that he doesn't need
counsel. When a person of much experience and much responsibility fails
to seek counsel, he has arrived at a precarious place. When a person of
inexperience feels he doesn't need to listen, doesn't need to learn, he, too,
has arrived at a precarious place. "They that will not be counselled," said
Benjamin Franklin, "cannot be helped. If you do not hear reason she
will rap you on the knuckles."1 No one is knowledgeable enough or has
perspective enough to think of everything at once, to see all possible
meanings in a clause or contract or commitment, or be aware of all the
hazards, or see all sides of a subject. No one should write a letter of
serious commitment, put anything into print, or make a decision of con-
sequence in matters of marriage, money, career, or be enticed to sign
or say yes to any plausible proposition, or make any quick or substantial
commitment of any kind without considering, reconsidering, and seeking
adequate counsel. Successful people need counsel. Unsuccessful people
need counsel. The hasty impulse, the know-it-all attitude, the pride that
keeps us from asking— these are dangerous approaches to any problem.
From the youngest in years to the oldest of age, there is no one who
can be always sure he is right, no one who has learned so much of life
that he doesn't need the counsel of others, and a prayerful approach to
all problems. "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings," said Alma, "and
he will direct thee for good. . . ,"2 There is safety in counsel, no safety
without it. "They that will not be counselled, cannot be helped."
1Ben]amin Franklin, Autobiography.
^Alma 37:37.
* "The Spoken Word" from Temple Square, presented over KSL and the Columbia
Broadcasting System February 25, 1968. Copyright 1968.
Small Daughter Sleeping
By Pauline Havard
Her hands careless at her side;
She lies asleep on night's dark tide.
Cool, silver fingers of the moon
Caress her form; the nightwinds croon,
Near her window, lullabies;
The day's wonder is sealed in her eyes.
Seeing sweet lips, each small, curved cheek
Inspires a love that cannot speak;
We tiptoe out, leaving her there,
The starshine bright on outspread hair.
May 1968
51
"I'm a 17-year-old girl who may as well be an orphan," said one girl.
The Presiding
Bishop Talks
to Parents
By Bishop John H. Vandenberg
• Someone once discovered a iye
plant that had a root system, roots,
and rootlets measuring 387 miles.
It is interesting that a compara-
tively simple rye plant has such an
extensive foundation.
With the simple rye plant so
firmly attached to its source of
strength, it gives rise to the ques-
tion: how firmly rooted are our
children in the spiritual values of
life? Have we provided them with
a spiritual "root system" that will
enable them to withstand the
worldly storms of this day? If par-
ents do not assist their children in
achieving this spiritual grounding,
it will, in all likelihood, never be
accomplished.
There is no influence in a youth's
life that is so vital and determining
as the influence exerted by parents
—whether that influence be con-
structive or otherwise. In a very
real sense, a child is a reflection of
his home and his parents. Mahatma
Gandhi once said, "My life is my
message." This is also true for par-
ents. A parent's happiness, prob-
lems, goals, beliefs, and philosophy
all influence his child. D. L. Law
has expressed this thinking as
follows:
"If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.
"If a child lives with hostility, he
learns to fight.
"If a child lives with fear, he
learns to be apprehensive.
"If a child lives with pity, he
learns to feel sorry for himself.
"If a child lives with ridicule, he
learns to be shy.
"If a child lives with jealousy, he
learns to feel guilty.
"If a child lives tuith tolerance,
he learns to be patient.
"If a child lives with encourage-
ment, he learns to be confident.
"If a child lives with praise, he
learns to be appreciative.
"If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.
"If a child lives icith recognition,
he learns to have a goal.
"If a child lives with honesty, he
learns what truth is.
"If a child lives with security, he
learns to have faith in himself and
others.
"If a child lives with friendliness,
he learns the world is a lovely
place in which to live.
"If a child lives with acceptance,
he learns to love."
To an extent, then, parents
shape what their children become.
Parents will find, as their children
approach the partial independence
that comes with adolescence, that
they will more and more mirror the
teachings of the home, whether
those teachings have been given
explicitly or inadvertently by the
parents. It is to these youth, our
young men of the Aaronic Priest-
hood and our young ladies of MIA
age, that I would like to focus our
attention. These are vital years,
years of momentous pressures, of
life-determining decisions, of nu-
merous temptations.
It is in these years that parents
need to have a special awareness
of their sons and daughters. And
even though youth of this age
group begin to assert their inde-
pendence, they still have a particu-
lar need for constructive discipline,
for definite rules and instructions.
These rules need to allow for indi-
vidual initiative and growth, but
they also need to be firmly en-
forced. This was indicated by a
letter printed in a nationally syndi-
cated column: "I'm a 17-year-old
girl who may as well be an orphan.
My folks don't care what I do. I
can go any place, with anyone, at
anytime. No questions are ever
asked. . . . All teenagers need rules
to follow. It makes them feel as
though somebody really cares
about them."
Young people need, and expect,
parents to establish guidelines for
52
Improvement Era
"My parents don't care what I do."
them to follow. The Lord holds the
same expectations of parents. His
thinking in this matter is illustrated
by the way he dealt with Eli, a
priest of ancient Israel. Eli failed
to correct his wayward sons, and
thus came this firm rebuke from
the Lord: "And the Lord said to
Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing
in Israel, at which both the ears of
every one that heareth it shall
tingle.
"In that day I will perform
against Eli all things which I have
spoken concerning his house: when
I. begin, I will also make an end.
"For I have told him I will judge
his house for ever for the iniquity
which he knoweth; because his
sons made themselves vile, and he
restrained them not.
"And therefore I have sworn
unto the house of Eli, that the
iniquity of Eli's house shall not be
purged with sacrifice nor offering
for ever." (1 Sam. 3:11-14.)
The United States today is suf-
fering, literally, because of lack of
leadership and discipline in the
home. The National Crime Com-
mission, which recently reported to
the President, lays much of the
blame for the crime problem (of
which "youth is apparently respon-
sible for a substantial and dispro-
portionate part") on parents. The
commission's report makes this
statement:
"The programs and activities of
almost every kind of social institu-
tion with which children come in
contact— schools, churches, social-
service agencies, youth organiza-
tions—are predicated on the as-
sumption that children acquire
May 1968
their fundamental attitudes toward
life, their moral standards, in- their
homes. . . .
"What appears to be happening
throughout the country, in the cities
and in the suburbs, among the poor
and among the well-to-do, is that
parental, and especially paternal,
authority over young people is be-
coming iceaker."
The way to decrease the rate of
crime among our youth, the way
to build a generation of youth with
moral strength and high ideals, is
not through government-subsidized
programs, but rather through each
parent realizing that his role as
a parent is his most important
role. Some parents need to return
the home to the important role
that the Lord declares it should
have in our lives. The Prophet's
statement, "No other success can
compensate for failure in the
home," needs to be more than
quoted— it needs to be believed and
applied. Through the family home
evening, parents have one of the
great tools for raising a choice
family. Neglect of this inspired
program can result in the family be-
coming less than what it might be.
The responsibility of parents to
teach their children has been with
us since Adam's day. The prophets
gave this counsel to ancient Israel:
"And ye shall teach them to your
children, speaking of them when
thou sittest in thine house, and
when thou walkest by the way,
when thou liest down, and when
thou risest up." (Deut. 11:19.)
While this counsel may not be new,
its application has never been
needed more. O
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53
. . . Arabs who have died of thirst
in the night only a few feet
from water.
It makes no difference
how far one has come
or how near one may be
to the water — he who has not gone
all the way cannot drink.
Illustrated fay Dave Burton
A New Look at the
Pearl of Great Price
Part 2. May We See Your Credentials'?
By Dr. Hugh Nibley
• At this point of the journey some
footsore tourists are asking their ama-
teur guide why he insists on leading
the party through the Dismal Swamp
instead of taking them right to the
Giant Redwoods, It is because the
Book of Abraham criticism has never
gotten out of the bog; we must become
familiar with its depressing terrain
because we and all the other critics
of that book are still stuck in it. The
situation today is virtually identical
with that of 1912; even the presence on
the scene of some of the original
papyri, including those used by the
Prophet in preparing the text of the
Book of Abraham and the Facsimiles
with their commentaries, has not
raised a single new question, though,
as we shall see, it has solved some old
ones.1
If the knowledge of Egyptologists is
greater today than it was in 1912, their
authority is less, for it is doubtful
whether any living scholar could or
should ever hope to enjoy the enor-
mous prestige of a Petrie, Meyer,
Breasted, von Bissing, or Sayce. But the
appeal is still as much as ever to au-
thority, and that is why it is now high
time that somebody ask the question
that has never been raised by anybody
yet, namely, just how well equipped
Dr. Spalding's illustrious jury really
were, individually and collectively, to
make a pronouncement on the Book of
Abraham. That, after all, is the crux
of the whole business, and it will re-
main so as long as it is assumed that
whoever knows most about a subject
must have all the answers. Bishop
Spalding's boast was that he had made
"an extensive inquiry among the
scholars of the world," and had en-
listed the services of "leading scholars
throughout the civilized world," his
work being thus "an anthology of
opinions of authoritative scholars . . .
judgments of the world's greatest
Egyptologists."2 At no time did the
Mormons or anyone else ever chal-
54
Improvement Era
lenge the right of the committee to
its claims to learned preeminence. "I
took no issue with the Egyptologists,"
wrote Dr. John A. Widtsoe. "... I
shall not allow myself to be drawn
into any discussion of the meaning of
Egyptian hieroglyphics, which you
have agreed to make clear to us."3
The big question of the authenticity
of the Book of Abraham is one that
must be broken down into many
smaller questions, and the questions
that will occur to various investigators
differ greatly, depending on their
various lines of approach. An Egyptol-
ogist will ask questions that would
never occur to a layman, a Bible stu-
dent will ask questions that one indif-
ferent to the Bible would never think
to ask, and a believer will ask ques-
tions that mean little or nothing to an
unbeliever. Among such questions,
that of the competence of any jury to
judge of the inspiration of the Pearl
of Great Price is entirely irrelevant.
Whatever competence any .such jury
may have is bound to appear inevitably
in the nature of the questions they
ask and the answers they supply. But
since in this particular case the board
of experts asked no questions (!), and
since the professional standing of its
members turned out to be not merely
the principal but the only support for
the Spalding thesis, the question of
their competence, no matter how im-
pertinent or embarrassing it might be,
cannot be avoided. It is the one ques-
tion that should have been asked
before all others, and it so happens
that it is also the one question that no-
body ever asked.
If "in a matter of this kind [as
Spalding puts itj most of us must
form our judgment from the opinions
of competent experts," the question for
all to keep in mind at all times is
whether or not the experts have
bridged the gap between our world
and the world of Abraham. That gap
may not be as wide today as it was
half a century ago, but it is just as abso-
lute. This is no paradox. Traveling
in the "red rock country," one some-
times comes upon an abrupt canyon
with sheer walls hundreds of feet high,
and must either turn back or seek to
find the head of the canyon and go
around it. This can make a trip to
Canyonlands a very frustrating experi-
ence. It makes little difference
whether the walls that drop off at our
feet are 100 or 1,000 feet high, and it
makes no difference at all whether the
big gap is 50 feet wide or a mile
across — in either case you are stopped
cold.
So it is with the Book of Abraham.
We either have the knowledge requi-
site to understanding it all the way
or we do not, and we would be just as
far from the mark in claiming such
knowledge today as the scholars were
in 1912. Knowing a lot is not enough:
we have heard moving stories of wan-
dering Arabs who have died of thirst
in the night only a few feet from water.
It makes no difference how far one has
come or how near one may be to the
water — he who has not gone all the
way cannot drink. None have dis-
coursed more eloquently than the
Egyptologists themselves on their
perennial predicament, which is that
though they may be much nearer their
goals than they once were, like the
benighted Arab they have no means of
knowing how much nearer or even
whether they have been moving in the
right direction or not. Their uncer-
tainty is echoed in a remark of de
Rouge: "Champollion had to contend
all his life against lively and obstinate
opposition. He died, and scholarship
stood still for twenty-five years," for
the great man's critics "did not even
have the courage to profit by his dis-
coveries."4 The whole history of
Egyptology is, as Maspero observed
from time to time, a warning against
that peculiar overconfidence that is
born of a safe and timid conformity.
And it is doubtful if any other Egyptol-
ogist ever exemplified more fully the
predicament of the specialist in that
field than Professor S. A. B. Mercer.
As we have seen, the Bishop's right-
hand man throughout the controversy
was the "Reverend Professor C. A. B.
Mercer [Spalding got the initials
wrong], Ph.D., Western Theological
Seminary, Custodian Hibbard Collec-
tion Egyptian Reproductions." The
32-year-old Mercer, with his shiny new
two-year-old Ph.D. degree from Mu-
nich, had just transferred from a semi-
nary in Kansas to the one in Chicago,
there to become "Professor of Hebrew
and the Interpretation of the Old
Testament."5 It was Mercer who, after
the others had withdrawn, encouraged
his superior to carry on: ". . . in this
particular case I think you are right in
following up what you have already
done; and I shall be glad to help you
as far as my time will permit. . . ."6
Mercer not only spearheaded the at-
tack in 1912 but, interestingly enough,
he is the one man who has returned to
the fray in our generation, having
written as late as 1953 confirming his
position of 19 12.7 At last report he was
still going strong, and we wish him
well, for he was not only a man of
great courtesy and kindness but in
1956 sold his splendid Egyptian library,
the fruit of a long lifetime of diligent
collecting, to the BYU at a price that
can only be described as generous.
This has put us in possession not only
of all of Dr. Mercer's published works,
but also of nearly all the Egyptian
sources he used in preparing them.
Since then we have spent many hun-
dreds of hours among Mercer's books
marked with his own countless pen-
ciled annotations, and so have come
to feel that we know him well, hav-
ing acquired a very strong and clear
impression of the method and depth
of his scholarship. Fortunately we
can leave all comments on these to
authentic Egyptologists whom we
quote below.
Of all Bishop Spalding's helpers, Dr.
Mercer was by far the hardest on the
Mormons. Had he taken any other
position than that of absolute cer-
tainty of his own sufficiency and
fierce and unrelenting denunciation of
Joseph Smith, to whom he conceded
not the slightest glimmer of sense or
integrity, Dr. Mercer would not have
been the legitimate target he is, or
invited by way of rebuttal examination
May 1968
55
"Still harping on translation, the 'clear-cut translation'
— and nobody had translated a word!"
of his boasted competence, for never
was there a man who was more sure of
his scholarship, more wholeheartedly
dedicated to the learned establish-
ment as such. The young seminarist
is quite intoxicated with the impor-
tance of being a recognized scholar; he
never lets us forget that he is a scholar
speaking with the authority of scholar-
ship. Above all, he prides himself on
competence as a linguist. "I speak as
a linguist," he wrote in 1912, "when
I say that if Smith knew Egyptian
and correctly interpreted the fac-
similes which were submitted to me,
then I don't know a word of Egyptian.
Any pupil of mine who would show
such absolute ignorance of Egyptian
as Smith does, could not possibly ex-
pect to get more than a zero in an
examination in Egyptology."8 "If he
[Dr. Widtsoe] knew anything about
linguistic work of the nature of hiero-
glyphics he would not ask such
question, for any ancient linguist
knows that the unanimous testimony
of eight scholars is the same as that
of eighty and eight."1' Any linguist
knows nothing of the sort, but what a
production Dr. Mercer makes of it!
When in 1953 a zealous collector of
anti-Mormon tidbits asked Professor
Mercer whether he still maintained his
position as of 1912/13, the Doctor re-
plied by letter, "I am sure that my
views on the subject have not changed,
because the translation was so clear-
cut."10 Still harping on translation, the
"clear-cut" translation — and nobody
had translated a word! In dealing with
the Mormons Mercer clings to the
linguistic issue because it is there
alone that he has the Mormons at a
complete disadvantage. "This will be
a purely literary and scientific test."
"The animus evident ... is purely
because of linguistic, and not because
of religious reasons. . . . the scholars
felt that linguistically . . . the subject
was not worth much of their valuable
time. . . . They condemned it purely
on the linguistic grounds," and the
Mormons deserve "a scorn which was
due to the crudeness of the linguistic
work of the Prophets," etc.11 "The
translations were absolutely wrong in
every detail," Mercer had declared,
and he should know, since all Egyp-
tian documents "can be read with
comparative ease."12
The Mormons, whom Mercer dis-
misses as mere "laymen in things
Egyptian," need not feel too badly
under the lash of his scorn, however,
for Mercer's own colleagues, including
the foremost Egyptologists of the time,
were not spared his withering rebukes,
nay, even fellow members of the
Spalding committee do not escape his
two-edged sword of science and schol-
arship.
When the great Breasted, Mercer's
teacher, published his Dawn of Con-
science, one of the freshest and most
original works ever written about
Egypt, Mercer, as editor and reviewer
of the short-lived journal Egyptian
Religion, could only report, "There is
very little that is new revealed in this
book," and chided its author for "ex-
cessive use of superlatives . . . which
cannot fail to irritate a bit, especially
when some of the superlatives are not
justifiable. "1S Mercer never explains
why the superlatives are not justified,
unless it is because true, sound, cau-
tious scholars are never guilty of using
superlatives. He objects to Breasted's
dating of an important document as
"an example of too many assumptions
by him," justifying his criticism not
by contrary evidence but by the sage
and learned platitude that "origins
and borrowings are very difficult things
to determine and establish." He
should have thought of that when he
so lightly brushed the Facsimiles aside.
Dr. Mercer cautions us that in reading
the work of Breasted "the student must
be on his guard against the results of
an enthusiasm, legitimate in itself, but
not always helpful in attempting to
arrive at sound conclusions." All very
patronizing, very much the cautious
scientist and scholar. He tells us that
Breasted's " 'messiamism' cannot be
found in Egyptian texts no matter
how sympathetically they may be
studied and interpreted. Breasted has
done his best to find it, but the reader
may be left to judge of his own
success."14
Again, instead of doing any real
work in showing where Breasted is
wrong, Mercer leaves the decision with
the reader— an odd procedure indeed
for one who worships authority and
merely tolerates the layman. As in
his dealings with the Mormons a
decade earlier, Mercer in his reviews in
Egyptian Religion rarely gives the
reader anything to go on but his opin-
ion— but when it is his opinion against
that of a giant like Breasted, what are
we to think?
In another review Dr. Mercer criti-
cized S. H. Hooke for employing
exactly the same method in defense of
"patternism" that Mercer himself had
recommended in attacking the Pearl of
Great Price: "After formulating his
theory Hooke gets six scholars, experts
in their own department of Oriental
research, to try to illustrate or prove
his theory." This method he finds al-
56
Improvement Era
together too "imaginative" and un-
trustworthy.1"' But was it not Mercer
himself who only a short time before
had insisted that "the unanimous
opinion of the scholars is unassailable,"
and that "the practical agreement of
eleven admittedly competent Oriental-
ists" should be final proof, and that
"the unanimous testimony of eight
scholars is the same as that of eighty
and eight"? Speaking exactly as if
he were attacking the Mormons, Mer-
cer notes that Professor Blackmann in
attempting to support "strikes a
deadly blow at the pattern theory of
the editor" by suggesting that "the
original 'pattern' was not a product of
Egypt but an importation thither."10
Yet Egyptian origin is not an essential
condition to the pattern theory at all —
Mercer has missed the point, but how
familiar his scolding sounds! Shortly
before this Mercer had dismissed in
two sentences A. Jeremias's truly re-
markable work, Der Kosmqs von
Sumer, with crushing finality: "Of
course, Dr. Jeremias has his own spe-
cial and peculiar ways of interpreting
ancient cosmic ideas. . . ."17 Of course,
indeed — that is just what made
Jeremias a great scholar, but for Mercer
it is the unpardonable sin of deviating
from the respectable conventions of
the establishment: no explanations are
indicated; Mercer dismisses Jeremias
with a magisterial wave of the hand.
He is even more patronizing in deal-
ing with Arthur Weigall, who had
been the inspector- general of antiqui-
ties for the Egyptian government since
1905, with an impressive list of impor-
tant archaeological publications to his
credit. "Weigall's academic preparation
did not enable him to enter very deeply
into more intricate problems of editing
and translating texts and commenting
upon them. . . . his lack of training
in philology led him into serious diffi-
culties."1* Always the language busi-
ness. More serious is his casual
dismissal of the work on Egyptian re-
ligion of one of the greatest of all
Egyptologists, Hermann Junker: "But
curiously enough," says Mercer, speak-
ing of Junker's fundamental thesis, "he
believes he has found evidence to
prove a primitive belief in one great
world god. This to my mind shows a
complete misunderstanding of the na-
ture of primitive thought and under-
standing."13 Just where has the great
Junker failed? ". . . his idea of a
primitive universal god in ancient
Egypt [is] an idea which really has
no foundation in fact."-0
This is a very serious challenge in-
deed, but Dr. Mercer does not bother
to show us what the real factual
foundation is: against Junker's solid
and original work he is content to
place the opinions of contemporary
anthropology.21 We may excuse him
for thrusting aside W. E. Oesterley
and T. H. Robinson's famous Intro-
duction to the Books of the Old
Testament as practically worthless;22
but when he chides the immortal A.
Erman for negligence in his specialty
we wonder if he may not be going too
far: "Like many other Egyptologists
who have written on the subject,
Erman uses such terms as 'mono-
theism' in a very loose sense, without
defining what he understands by
'monotheism,' " — though Erman had
written a whole book on the subject.
Mercer is good enough to explain that
he believes in "modern, scientific
monotheism," whatever that is.-3
The last of the auxiliary troops to
rush to Dr. Spalding's assistance when
he found himself entangled in the
contradictory statements of the other
experts was Professor George A. Barton.
And how does Dr. Mercer deal with
Dr. Barton? Of his Semitic and
Hamitic Origins, the Reverend Mercer
writes: ". . . all such collections of
deductions, possibilities and proba-
bilities are doomed by nature to be
superceded," and this particular book
"contains too many fanciful as well
as bold deductions for its destiny to be
otherwise."24 In dealing with Egypt
in particular, according to Mercer, Dr.
Barton "has very often fumbled very
badly." "Throughout the book there
are far too many hypotheses without
adequate foundation . . . the reader
must be on guard to check every state-
ment, and especially all words and
phrases in Egyptian, Coptic, etc. . . .
as for French, German and English the
misprints and errors are legion."25 He
recommends that any future edition
of the book "should be rigorously re-
vised," and "while for students of
Semitic origins the book will be found
of considerable value, when used with
caution, the same cannot, however, be
said of students of Egyptian origins."20
As ever, Mercer plays up his role as
that of super linguist and Egyptologist.
Barton's worst offense, however, is
that when he comes to treat the
Sumerian flood story he does not even
refer to Mercer's work on the subject;
and though he mentions Mercer's own
work on Babylonian religion, "he can-
not have read the book which he so
lightly brushes aside."26
O
(To be continued)
FOOTNOTES
aEven the astonishing disproportion between
the bulk of the Book of Abraham and the
brevity of the text from which Joseph Smith
seems to have derived it was noted as long ago
as 1915 by the last of the official Spalding sup-
porters, E. G. Banks, in The Literary Digest,
July 10, 1915, p. 66: ". . . the hieroglyphic
inscription is very short, but Smith's translation
of it covers thirty pages of printed matter."
=Quoted in Era, Vol. 16, p. 691.
*Era, Vol. 16, p. 617.
4M. de Rouge, in Bihliothcquc Egy ptologiciue,
Vol. 26, p. 228.
"For vital statistics, see the Utah Survey,
Vol. 1 (Sept. 1913), No. 1, p. 3, and Who's
Who (London), 1967.
•'■Quoted in Era, Vol. 16, p. 611.
This letter, dated Feb. 19, 1953, has been
circulated by LaMar Petersen along with his
own letter to Dr. Mercer, dated Dec. 16, 1952.
(BYU File M1268.)
"Era, Vol. 16, p. 615.
°Era, loc. cit., and pp. 455-56, 617; Utah
Survey, Vol. 1, p. 30.
]0See above, note 7.
"All from the Utah Survey, Vol. 1, pp. 7-11.
i2Era, Vol. 16, p. 612.
13S. A. B. Mercer, in Egyptian Religion, Vol.
2 (1934), p. 70.
^Ihid., p. 71.
™Ibid., Vol. 1 (1933), p. 84.
™lbid., p. 85.
^Ihid., Vol. 1, p. 38.
mbid., Vol. 2, p. 75.
mbid., Vol. 3 (1935), p. 64.
■^Ibid., p. 65.
2lDr. Mercer has great confidence in his own
capacity to see into the mind of the primitive:
". . . and just as the imagination of children is
less restrained than that of grown-ups, so the
imagination of primitive men was vastly more
active than our own. So the men of Egypt saw
heaven as an immense friendly cow standing
over them. . . ." S. A. B. Mercer, The Religion
of Ancient Egypt (London: Luzac, 1949), p.
21. In the margin of one of J. Cerny's works
on the religion of the Old and Middle King-
doms, Dr. Mercer has written one eloquent
word --"Absurd!" In his own work, Mercer
accepts without question the once fashionable
but long-outmoded theory of animism as the
key to the understanding of early Egyptian
religion; ibid., p. 299.
"-In Egyptian Religion, Vol. 3, p. 115.
mbid., Vol. 3, p. 160.
-'Ibid., pp. 160f.
■■*Ibid., Vol. 3, p. 161.
-BIbid., p. 162.
May 1968
57
xtra
CLJL
Turning Financial Folly Into Family Fun
(PartV)
Conclusion
By Dr. Qufnn G. McKay
Dean, School of Business and Economics.
Weber State College
• For many families in this modern someone who is displaying these
day, it sometimes seems that the labels of affluence. Recognizing
father who has just one job fails to and admitting to a desire to emu-
provide what is regarded as an late the neighbors is the first step
adequate income. This month we for a family to take in controlling
shall explore possibilities for sup- the urge to keep up with the
plementing the single salary or
wage.
Before we discuss them, it might
be appropriate to refer to one
of the ideas of a previous article-
Joneses. This is why people should
not buy or rent a home in an area
where other families have signifi-
cantly higher incomes. Unless the
entire family has unusual self-
that is, the greatest opportunity for discipline, such circumstances will
keeping income and outgo in line
lies in controlling the urge to
spend.
Holding the family's desires
within the father's salary is the key.
Keeping up with the Joneses is a
realistic disease with which one
must reckon. If one sees the neigh-
bors with a new car or boat or tak-
ing a long vacation, he usually has
the urge to acquire the same,
whereas such an urge is not so
likely to arise if one is not around
breed discontent and frustration.
Seeking sources for extra income
can be helpful if caution is taken
to see that the individual's health
or the family's well-being is not
endangered. Let us analyze some
possibilities for obtaining the addi-
tional cash.
1. Moonlighting, is the practice
of holding down a second job. A
surprisingly large number of family
supporters engage in moonlighting.
In times of temporary financial
emergency or for short periods of
time, it may be necessary for a
husband to work at two jobs. For
instance, it may be a way of allow-
ing a mother to stay home with a
young family. And for those ambi-
tious enough to build up a savings
account or to maintain their credit
rating by meeting financial obliga-
tions, this may be worth consider-
ing.
However, certain precautions
should be taken to avoid dangers
inherent in this practice. (1) Once
a family becomes accustomed to
the extra income, it is difficult to
cut back and live on a single in-
come. A law of finance says that
expenses will always rise to meet
income. (2) All too often, such extra
strain gives rise to health problems.
Extra income is not worth the risk
of a father's becoming physically or
emotionally incapacitated. (3) Two
jobs will almost preclude a person's
contributing to the Lord's work by
accepting positions of responsi-
bility in the Church. (4) Too little
time is spent with children.
In the days when families lived
on farms or engaged in home in-
dustry, long hours of work were
not so critical to family solidarity,
because a father generally worked
side by side with his children.
Urban living allows a father to
spend but a few— often hectic-
minutes with his family. When a
child asks, "Daddy, come and play
with me," a father should think
twice before he says, "You'll have
to wait until tomorrow. I don't
have time." If you wait until you
have time, the youngster may never
ask again.
2. Working wives can provide
another source of extra income. For
some, it may be essential or desir-
able. A widow with children often
has no choice but to get a job. A
young wife may work to help pro-
vide the family income so her hus-
band can complete his education.
Times of temporary financial stress
58
Improvement Era
may necessitate a wife's working.
An older woman with no children
at home may want to do something
to feel she is contributing. As a
result of the use of modern con-
veniences in the home, homemak-
ing may no longer be a full-time
job for a very active woman with
no children. However, such women
may consider volunteer work and
projects as a means of self-fulfill-
ment.
Some working mothers argue
that they spend just as much time
with the children when they work
as when they don't. They go to
work just before the children go to
school and get home shortly after
they return. But it is not always
the amount of time one spends
with children that is critical; it is
the kind of time.
A wife who goes to work just to
get over a temporary financial
problem may find herself working
indefinitely for reasons already
mentioned. Before going to work
every wife should remember that
the family has needs other than
material needs. Often, the emo-
tional needs are far more vital than
clothes, fancy food, new cars, or a
television set. Many times the
harmful effects of the mother's
absence from the home are not
evident for months or even years.
Seldom is the good or harm done
on a specific day measurable at
sundown.
In attempting to gain more
money, the family should always
remember to keep first things first.
It is a matter of attitude. The fam-
ily is the first and most important
consideration. Wages, salaries,
homes, and vacations should have
as their main purpose promoting
the solidarity of the family group
and the perfecting of the individual
members. Never let money or
material acquisitions become an
end in and of themselves. -
Don't turn family fun into finan-
cial folly! O
May 1968
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60
Lest We Forget
The Manti Temple
By Albert L. Zobell, Jr.
Research Editor
• For eight decades— 80 magnificent years— the Manti
Temple has stood overlooking Utah's Sanpete Valley,
providing a haven where the faithful come to receive
their blessings for time and eternity. The Manti
Temple was dedicated privately by Wilford Woodruff
May 17, 1888, and publicly by Lorenzo Snow on
May 21, 1888.
The boundaries of the Manti Temple district were
specified in a circular issued by the First Presidency
and Council of the Twelve October 25, 1876.
Improvement Era
"Here is the spot where the prophet Moroni stood
and dedicated this piece of land. . . ."
Early on the morning of April 25, 1877, President
Brigham Young asked Warren S. Snow to go with him
to temple hill. Brother Snow related: "We two were
alone; President Young took me to the spot where the
Temple was to stand; we went to the southeast
corner, and President Young said: 'Here is the spot
where the prophet Moroni stood and dedicated this
piece of land for a Temple site and that is the reason
why the location is made here, and we can't move it
from this spot. . . .' " (Orson F. Whitney, Life of
Heber C. Kimball [first edition], p. 447.)
Later in the day, as ground was broken, President
Young said: "We now call upon the people . . . for
men to come here with teams and wagons, plows and
scrapers, picks and shovels, to prepare this ground
for the mason work. Let this work be commenced
forthwith; and as soon as possible we shall expect
from 50 to 100 men every working day throughout
the season to labor here. . . . We want to rear this
temple with clean hands and pure hearts. . . ." ( James
E. Talmage, The House of the Lord, p. 226. )
Excavation work was begun April 30, with about
one hundred people first kneeling in prayer. It took
two years of blasting and scraping to get the site
ready for the cornerstones, which were laid April 14,
1879, and then the laying of the walls began. The
Manti oolite taken from the hill on which the temple
stand is a granular rock, uniform in grain and of a
fine cream color. The building material had been
used extensively in Sanpete County, and in 1852, one
piece of Manti stone was sent to Washington, D.C.,
as Utah Territory's contribution to the Washington
Monument.
Construction workers did not receive money for
their work on the temple. Church members con-
tributed food and other farm products toward the
"temple fund." Eggs laid on Sunday were called "tem-
ple eggs" and were given for the temple.
The people of Manti were as hardy and as strong
as the temple they were building. They had come
to the area in November 1849 on invitation of the Ute
Indian Chief Walker. Isaac Morley, their leader,
named the new city "Manti" after the Book of Mormon
city. Most of the settlers spent the first winter in
dugouts beneath the hill of solid rock that later was
to be their temple site.
That winter was severe. Men and boys worked
daily shoveling snowdrifts from grass so that starving
cattle could eat. Horns on the cattle were filed sharp
to give them some protection in fights with ravenous
wolves. By spring less than half of the 240 cattle
had survived. This was considered a blessing, as the
carcasses were given to the Indians, some of whom
were not as friendly as at first had been supposed.
With the arrival of the first hot weather in 1850,
rattlesnakes emerged from those rocks and tried to
take possession of everything. Armed with torches
and anything else available, the settlers went to battle.
More than 300 snakes were killed, and miraculously,
no one was bitten.
President Brigham Young visited in August 1850
and stood inside their log stockade looking at the
settlers, understanding their hearts. Then, pointing
to quarry hill, he promised that one day a temple
would stand on the top of it, overlooking the valley.
During the summer of 1856, when food was scarce,
"pigweed" sprang up in abundance on the south side
of quarry hill. This edible plant was harvested each
morning and boiled, to be served with what little
other food the people had. The plant has not grown
there since, disappearing as mysteriously as it came.
Scandinavian converts to the Church first settled
in Sanpete County in 1853, and the area has long
been known as a center for Scandinavians.
For 11 years the people worked hard and long on
the Manti Temple before it was finished and dedi-
cated. The twin-towered structure is 171 feet in
length, 95 feet in extreme width. The walls are three-
and-a-half feet thick at the base, with buttresses four
feet in thickness, and both walls and buttresses nar-
row as they rise. The tower at the east rises to 179
feet, ten feet higher than the west tower. Each tower
is 30 feet square at the base. The ground-level sur-
rounding the temple is some 60 feet higher than the
street at the foot of the hill.
The interior of the building has two spiral stair-
cases extending from the basement to the roof. Engi-
neers and architects have acclaimed them remarkable
in workmanship. In each case the center is open,
without any supporting column, and the walnut rail-
ings and balusters, winding up 90 feet, with 155 steps
through five stories, form a symmetrical coil, per-
fectly plumb from top to bottom. There are few such
staircases in America. Two of them are in this grand
old temple, built by craftsmen when Manti was still
a pioneer village.
Spiritually the Manti Temple is a light and a center
for the people of central Utah even as the physical
building is a beacon, seen for miles, guiding travelers
approaching it. May the Manti Temple continue to
be the center and the goal of those who reside in that
district for many times the just completed 80 years.
O
May 1968
61
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Xlfc; V-yLLLuUJL Chi
and Spiritual
Influenoes
of tlie Bible
By Robert J. Matthews
Robert Matthews, a doctoral candidate at Brigham Young University, and
academic research director for the seminaries and institutes of the Church
School System, is a high councilor in the BYU Fifth Stake.
• Steward Robertson once wrote of
the Bible:
"The Bible is an all-time best
seller. It is a book with which most
of us pretend familiarity, and yet,
once we emerge from our ambus-
cade of pride, it leaves us humble
in our ignorance. It is the highest-
priced book in the world; it is also
the cheapest. It is guarded as a
prize in great libraries and mu-
seums, yet we keep it confidently
in our homes. It is crystal clear;
at the same time it is one of the
most mysterious of volumes."1
The Bible has been called the
Book, the Good Book, and the Book
of Books.
It is impossible to measure the
influence that the Bible has had
on the human family; yet one is
able to grasp something of the
magnitude of its impact throughout
a great portion of the world, par-
ticularly in western Civilization.
Spirituality and culture, being
somewhat intangible, cannot be
measured precisely. One can only
conclude that the Bible has af-
fected the thinking and the actions
of men and women on several con-
tinents for thousands of years. This
influence is evident in our lan-
guage, our literature, art, and
music, our legal code, our organi-
zations, customs, and mannerisms,
and even some of our forms of
recreation. It permeates our whole
society.
The "Ward Teaching Message"
for March 1961, issued by The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints, had these statements:
"The Bible has had a more pro--
found influence upon mankind
than any book ever published. It
has been translated into [hundreds
of] languages and is distributed in
every country. The Bible satisfies
the upper-most yearnings of the
human heart. It confirms the exis-
tence of God. . . .
"The framework . of Christian
religion, present society, and
western civilization is founded
upon the Holy Bible. . . .
"The most far-reaching influ-
ence, however, has been upon man
himself. The loftiest ideals of cul-
ture and refinement had their
Improvement Era
origin in this book. The greatest
painters and musical composers
reached the peak of their creative
powers when reproducing Bible
characters and themes. . . . The
Bible has inspired more goodness
than any other book ever written.
The most noble souls measure the
extent of their moral responsibility
and pattern their lives to conform
to the teachings it so eloquently
advocates.
"The message of the Bible is the
essence of hope. It builds faith in
the hearts of its readers. Whether
in a state of despair, or of joyful
emotion, there is a message in the
Bible to stabilize us."
Henry Van Dyke likewise wrote
of the Bible in these1 descriptive
words:
"Born in the East and clothed in
Oriental form and imagery, the
Bible walks the ways of all the
world with familiar feet and enters
land after land to find its own
everywhere. It has learned to
speak in hundreds of languages to
the heart of man. It comes into the
palace to tell the monarch that he
is a servant of the Most High, and
into the cottage to assure the
peasant that he is a son of God.
Children listen to its stories with
wonder and delight, and wise men
ponder them as parables of life."1'
Three great religions have roots
in the Bible: Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam. While these religions
may not have limited themselves to
the Bible, and may even have de-
parted therefrom, the Bible has
had solid influence in their systems
of theology and practice.
It is important to note that the
Bible was produced by a people
who, at that time, had not other-
wise been great contributors to the
world's culture. The Greeks gave us
philosophy, art, sculpture, and
much of our vocabulary. The Ro-
mans gave us legal forms, govern-
ment, administration, art, sculpture,
music, and much of our vocabulary.
Yet Israel, which produced the
Bible and which in modern times
has so profoundly influenced the
rest of the world in all of these
things, was not greatly noted for
art, sculpture, music, language, or
literature in biblical times. This is
not to discredit nor lessen the
house of Israel as a people; it is to
define more precisely Israel's mis-
sion on the earth and to discover
the source of her genius.
Although other nations have
found ways to develop the visible
manifestations of divine truth in
expressions of music, painting,
sculpture, literature, and other arts,
the divine spark that kindled the
flame is rooted first in the inspira-
tion and genius that God gave to
his chosen servants who recorded
the pages of holy writ. Revelation
from God was the source, trans-
mission into the lives of human
beings the mission, of Israel. (See
2 Ne. 29:4.) Israel's mission in the
world is a spiritual mission, and
Israelite prophets and apostles
were spiritual receptors. Gentile
nations have manifested that spiri-
tual message in such material
forms as painting and sculpture.
Perhaps it was the commandment
to neither make nor worship a
graven image that restrained Israel
from more extensive art forms and
caused its efforts to be directed
more toward the social sciences,
music, and literature.
The Bible's greatest influence
has been on the spirit of man him-
self. It contains the words of God's
Spirit speaking to the spirit of man,
and the cultural aspects have
grown out of this. Yet the spiri-
tuality of a man is quite impossible
to measure. It is visible only in its
outward manifestations of action
and behavior, and therefore the
extent to which the Bible has
changed the attitudes and the lives
of individuals simply cannot be
computed. The number of hearts
that have been changed, com-
forted, and made happy in secret
moments of meditation about the
contents of the Bible can never be
recorded in any earthlv book.
Henry Van Dyke discussed the
Bible's influence on works of art in
these words:
"Suppose, for example, that it
were possible to dissolve away all
the works of art which clearly owe
their being to thoughts, emotions,
or visions derived from the Bible-
all sculpture like Donatello's David
and Michelangelo's Moses; all
painting like Raphael's Sistine
Madonna and Murillo's Holy Fam-
ily; all music like Bach's Passion
and Handel's Messiah; all poetry
like Dante's Divine Comedy and
Milton's Paradise Lost,— how it
would impoverish the world."3
The list could include an almost
endless number of oratorios, can-
tatas, paintings, works of sculpture,
spirituals, hymns, sacred songs,
and other works of art of lasting
significance.
In discussing the influence of
the King James version of the Bible
on English literature, Van Dyke
wrote:
"The fountain-head of the power
of the Bible in literature lies in its
nearness to the very springs and
sources of human life. . . .
"It would be strange indeed if a
book which has played such a part
in human life had not exercised an
extraordinary influence upon litera-
ture. As a matter of fact, the Bible
has called into existence tens of
thousands of other books devoted
to the exposition of its meaning, the
defense and illustration of its doc-
trine, the application of its teach-
ing, or the record of its history. . . .
"In addition, we must reckon the
many books of hostile criticism and
contrary argument which the Bible
has evoked, and which are an evi-
dence of revolt against the might of
its influence."1
We might note also that many
books, novels, treatises, and reports
May 1968
63
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64
that have been written about non-
biblical subjects have used biblical
phrases for titles. In 1948 the
American Bible Society published a
list of 1613 such non-religious books
with biblical phraseology in the
titles.5
The compilation was made "to
prove the worth of the Bible as
pure literature," and therefore all
books religious in theme and con-
tent were deliberately omitted.
English and American writers
have made great use of the King
James version of the Bible in their
writings. Such literary giants as
Shakespeare, Milton, Browning,
Wordsworth, Longfellow, George
Eliot, Ruskin, Melville, Emerson,
and many others employed biblical
phraseology, not only by direct
quote and subject matter, but also
by allusion and paraphrase. This
was likewise true of Thomas Jeffer-
son, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham
Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and
other statesmen.
Allusions and direct reference to
biblical characters and events are
found in all sorts of books. Studies
have shown them to be in writings
on geography, history, political gov-
ernment, natural science, geology,
and other such subjects.
Newspapers and current non-re-
ligious journals frequently use bib-
lical phraseology and allusion for
dramatic effect. For example, the
January 16, 1967, issue of News-
iveek carried' a cover story entitled
"Adam Must Leave Eden," and
the January 23, 1967, edition used
the caption "Handwriting on the
Wall." Both of these articles are of
a non-religious nature.
As has been the case with litera-
ture, so the movie industry has felt
the influence of the Bible. Many
motion pictures and filmstrips have
been produced by private compa-
nies for instructional purposes in
schools and seminaries. A number
of full-length movies for public en-
tertainment have been influenced
by the Bible either by theme or
title or both.
Consider such films as The Great-
est Story Ever Told, The Ten Com-
mandments, The Bible, The Sign
of the Cross, The King of Kings,
Quo Vadis, David and Bathsheba,
The Story of Ruth, Samson and
Delilah, The Robe, Salome, and
Barabbas. Other movies and plays,
such as The Little Foxes, Our Vines
Have Tender Grapes, The Sun Also
Rises, J. B., The Voice of the Tur-
tle, and East of Eden, have derived
biblical titles, but were not de-
signed primarily to illustrate bibli-
cal themes.
The Bible has had such great in-
fluence upon our everyday speech
that one hears almost everywhere
some phrase being used that had
its origin in the Bible. Many of
these entered into our language in
a time when the Bible was read
more often than perhaps it is today,
and these phrases have remained in
common use among us; yet without
an understanding of the source,
they lose much of their meaning.
It is quite likely that many phrases
common to our daily speech are
used by persons having little appre-
ciation for their deeper meaning
and origin. Consider, for example,
the following:
Genesis
east of Eden (3:24)
my brother's keeper (4:9)
the fountains of the great deep
(7:11)
a good old age (25:8)
fat of the land (45:18)
Exodus
an eye for an eye (21:24)
Deuteronomy
the wife of thy bosom (28:54)
Joshua
a land flowing with milk and honey
(5:6)
Judges
a mother in Israel (5:7)
2 Samuel
thou art the man (12:7)
Improvement Era
1 Kings
a still, small voice (19:12)
Esther
sackcloth and ashes (4:3)
Job
hair stood on end (4:15)
as the sparks fly upward (5:7)
swifter than a weaver's shuttle
(7:6)
cometh forth as a flower (14:2)
the skin of my teeth (19:20)
oh, that my adversary had written
a book (31:35)
Psalms
out of the mouths of babes and
sucklings (8:2)
the cry of the humble (9:12)
the apple of his eye (17:8)
green pastures ( 23 : 2 )
shadow of death (23:4)
the ends of the earth (59:13)
down to the sea in ships (107:23)
the wings of the morning (139:9)
Proverbs
better than rubies (8:11)
stolen waters (9:17)
apples of gold in pictures of silver
(25:11)
heap coals of fire upon his head
(25:22)
Ecclesiastes
a time and a place (3:1-8)
under the sun (6:1)
the wife of my youth (9:9)
the battle is not to the strong
(9:11)
fly in the ointment (10:1)
cast your bread upon the waters
(11:1)
vanity of vanities (12:8)
Song of Solomon
the rose of Sharon and lily ol the
valley (2:1)
our vines have tender grapes
(2:15)
the little foxes that spoil the vines
(2:15)
Isaiah
woe is me (6:5)
four corners of the earth (11:12)
precept upon precept, line upon
line (28:10)
set thine house in order (38:1)
voice in the wilderness (40:3)
May 1968
in the hollow of his hand (40:12)
a drop in the bucket (40:15)
worlds without end (45:17)
as a lamb to the slaughter (53:7)
holier than thou (65:5)
Jeremiah
balm of Gilead (8:22)
can a leopard change its spots?
(13:23)
teeth are set on edge (31:29)
the four winds (49:36)
Joel
the valley of decision (3:14)
Malachi
the windows of heaven (3:10)
book of remembrance (3:16)
Matthew
star in the east (2:2)
good for nothing (5:13)
salt of the earth (5:13)
pearl of great price ( 13 : 46 )
blind lead the blind (15:14)
what God hath joined together
(19:6)
den of thieves (21:13)
sheep from the goats (25:32)
Luke
the fatted calf (15:23,27,30)
Romans
law unto themselves (2:14)
the powers that be (13:1)
1 Corinthians
stumbling block (1:23)
fashion of this world (7:31)
the twinkling of an eye (15:52)
2 Corinthians
a thorn in the flesh (12:7)
1 Thessalonians
labour of love (1:3)
1 Timothy
filthy lucre (3:3,8)
love of money (6:10)
root of evil (6:10)
Revelation
faithful unto death (2:10)
book of life (3:5)
living fountains of water (7:17)
bottomless pit (9:11)
clear as crystal (21:11, 22:1)
A number of expressions that are
not exact quotes from the Bible
carry with them a distinct memory
of some biblical story, such as, the
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65
fleshpots of Egypt, Joseph's coat,
handwriting on the wall, the wid-
ow's mite, the wandering Jew, the
mantel of Elijah, manna in the wil-
derness, a friend of publicans, to
wash one's hands of the matter,
steady the ark, doubting Thomas,
loaves and fishes, mess of pottage.
In addition, there are phrases in
our everyday speech that appear
to have originated from the Bible
but are not direct quotes. For ex-
ample, the familiar saying "There
is no rest for the wicked" might
have come from Isaiah 48:22, which
says, "There is no peace . . . unto
the wicked." The line "a little bird
told me" might have evolved from
Ecclesiastes 10:20, "a bird of the
air . . . shall tell the matter."
A great many geographical loca-
tions have felt the influence of the
Book of Books: St. Paul, Minne-
sota; Corpus Christi, Texas; Beth-
lehem, Pennsylvania; Boaz, Ala-
bama; Dothan, Alabama; Salome
Springs, Arkansas; Bethesda, Mary-
land; Ephraim, Utah; the Jordan
Richard L. Evans
The Spoken Word
what to overlook"-and when
The art of being wise," said William James, "is the art of knowing
what to overlook." Life without friends, loved ones, companionship,
would be too altogether empty. But since people are not perfect,
companionship is never perfect. When we associate with people, we take
them with their imperfections. But over-emphasizing imperfections leads
to unpleasantness, unhappiness, disillusionment. This is so in marriage, in
the home, the family, among friends, in every relationship in life. And
one of the greatest lessons of life is learning to help people to improve
without making them resentful, or shattering their confidence, or de-
stroying our influence with them. Correcting before others is especially
embarrassing, and correcting with sarcasm is always hurtful in effect.
We, none of us, ever do all we ought to do as well as we ought to do it.
No one of us is possessed of all virtues, abilities, or flawless performance.
There is no one who is never forgetful. No one can always follow a sched-
ule, always have meals precisely on time (or always be there precisely
on time), always have the house look as if company were presently ex-
pected, always have everything precisely in place. Man is not merely a
machine— he is much more— but even machines need understanding, and
make errors in performance. There is much to be overlooked in all of us
— and much that should not be overlooked. But even this can be dealt
with in tact and helpfulness, choosing the time, the place, the mood, the
method. There are ways of suggesting, forebearing, of correcting in
kindliness, instead of harsh, cruel, blundering correction that makes
people feel small, hurt, resentful. There are times to correct and times
not to. There are ways to correct and ways not to. "The art of being
wise is the art of knowing what to overlook"— and when.
* "The Spoken Word" from Temple Square, presented over KSL and the Columbia
Broadcasting System February 11, 1968. Copyright 1968.
River in Utah, and a host of others.
Numerous colleges have been
given biblical names, such as St.
John's (New York), St. Peter's
(Maryland), St. Stephen's (Massa-
chusetts), Nazareth College (Mich-
igan), Bethany College (Minne-
sota), Calvary College (Missouri),
and Mt. Olive College ( North Car-
olina ) .
Our present society has a number
of organizations directly attribut-
able to the Bible; for example, Job's
Daughters, a young women's or-
ganization associated with the Ma-
sonic Lodge, perhaps so called
because it is recorded that in all
the land there were no women so
fair as the daughters of Job. (Job
42:15.) The Dorcas Sisters of the
Seventh Day Adventist Church is a
women's mercy and relief society,
named after Dorcas of Acts 9:36-39.
Hunters are frequently known as
nimrods (Gen. 10:8-9) and hunt-
er's organizations as nimrod socie-
ties.
Even Ananias, the prevaricator
of Acts 5:1-11, has been memorial-
ized by present-day Ananias clubs,
or so-called liars' clubs, where per-
sons jestingly compete with one
another in telling the greatest fic-
tions.
There is an almost unending list
of personal and family names that
are of biblical origin. This is such
a common thing among us that any
attempt to illustrate it is unneces-
sary. So strong has been the desire
for biblical names among some
groups at certain times that it is
reported Calvin once had a man
imprisoned for naming his son
Claude, a gentile name, instead of
Abraham.
Our present legal code, while
somewhat Roman in structure, cer-
tainly is hebraic in spirit, and much
of the law of England and America
is founded upon mosaic law. A
witness in a formal court of law is
asked to place his hand on the
Bible and swear to tell the truth.
66
Improvement Era
Persons sworn into public office
frequently do so with a hand on
the Bible. In popular jargon we
frequently hear the phrase "swear
on the Bible," or even more explic-
itly "on a stack of Bibles."
Columbus is said to have com-
piled a "book of prophecies" con-
taining every passage in the Bible
that, in his judgment, might be re-
garded as having reference to the
New World. This he finished on
September 13, 1501, in preparation
for a fourth journey to the Americas.
On numerous occasions, when
attempting to enlist the help of
Ferdinand and Isabella, Columbus
quoted from the Bible those pas-
sages that he believed had refer-
ence to his mission of exploration.
He found the book of Isaiah par-
ticularly helpful in this matter.
Columbus' frequent writings and
utterances evidence that he actually
believed he was divinely called to
discover new lands, and that he
was thus sincere in his use of Bible
prophecies.
The Puritans and others came to
America partly because they wished
to worship as they saw fit and in
conformance with their understand-
ing of the Bible.
Thus we see that the Bible has
had a great cultural impact on the
lives, religious and otherwise, of
people in wide areas for many cen-
turies. It is a priceless treasure, a
heritage of our race, wielding a
greater influence than we are gen-
erally aware. Its durability and vast
usefulness, assisting in the spiritual
need of millions of people for
thousands of years, attests to its
divinity and to the significant fact
that the central figure of the Bible,
Jesus Christ, is God of the whole
earth. O
FOOTNOTES
1 Steward Robertson, Family Circle, December
12, 1941, p. 20.
aHenry Van Dyke, Companionable Books
(New York: Charles Soribner's Sons, 1922),
pp. 11-12.
Hbid., p. 5.
*Ibid., pp. 10-11, 13-14.
EReverend Robert B. Pattison, Bible Phrases
Used as Book Titles (New York: American Bible
Society, 1948).
May 1968
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67
Today's Family
By Florence B. Pinnock
A Mather
Ten Feet
Tall
Photo by Linda Banks
Posed by Sue Conford
and John Eddington
• "My mother makes the best
cookies in the whole world,"
boasted a small boy. "My mother
can make popsicles and all-day
suckers," chimed in a four-year-
old. And not to be outdone, another
little voice exclaimed, "But my
mother can do anything. She can
even smile when she's mad." Yes,
mothers are ten feet tall in the eyes
of their children, and deservedly so
in most instances,
A mother is :
a goodnight kiss.
a morning glow,
a cheery good-bye.
a rainbow on a dull day,
a shake of the head,
a pat on the back,
a knee to pray beside,
an honest answer,
a conscience stirrer,
an overflowing cookie jar,
an open door to a good tomor-
row, and a million other things
—she is ten feet tall.
A child three feet tall or so mnst
lean back and look up in order to
see a mother's face. A teenager's
glance is usually on a level with a
mother's, but when that young son
reaches six feet or more, he still
should be able to look up to his
tiny, five-foot-three mother. This
takes a great deal of doing on her
part.
As a mother holds her baby for
the first time, she begins to merit
this love and respect. She must
continue day in and day out, year
after year, caring constantly and
completely, serving and loving, and
always seeing promise in her chil-
dren. A mother can never give up.
It helps if she can make delicious
cookies and popsicles and lollipops;
it helps best of all to earn her
children's admiration if she can
smile when things don't go quite
right; if she can see the happy,
Improvement Era
optimistic side of each day; if she
can guide without nagging, encour-
age without making the winning
all important; if she can lift with-
out ever tearing down; if she can
meet each problem without com-
plaint.
There are other everyday things
to do in order for a mother to be
ten feet tall. The home should be-
long to the children as well as to
the parents. The doors should be
wide open to their friends, and the
mother's voice should be heard
saying, "Of course, bring the group
over after the dance. I'll have some
waffle batter and hot chocolate
ready for you." It is easy for a
mother to say to a daughter or
son, "Bring the crowd home after
church. We will have a freezer full
of ice cream."
This work of a mother's earning
the respect and love of her chil-
dren is constant. If these positive
habits are formed, each day and
each child will sing with joy. Of
course, she is busy with cleaning
and cooking and chauffeuring, but
time made for mothering pays big
dividends. The children must feel
strength in their mother, to use her
not as a leaning wall, but as starch
for their backbones.
Of all ingredients the ten-foot-
tall mother must have, love heads
the list. This love must be soft and
enfolding, yet firm and staunch. A
mother's love must include the
power of reproof and the fairness
of candor. Her love must heal
loneliness and encourage manli-
ness. It must help make her
daughter a lady and her son a
gentleman. A mother's love is all-
inclusive. Our Elder Brother, Jesus,
had just three years to train 12 men
to carry on his precepts. A mother
often has 19 or more years to train
each child. He loved his disciples
into doing right; so must a mother
love her children. A mother listens
in love and speaks in love. If a
woman can do all this, indeed she
will be ten feet tall in the eyes of
her children and also in the eyes
of the world.
OVEBFLOWING COOKIE JABS
Mothers and grandmothers have
cookies as their medals of honor.
For this Mother's Day and the
other 364 days of the year, fill up
the cookie jar and receive acclaim.
Cookies can be tricky to make.
Do you wonder why your neigh-
bor's cookies are better than yours?
Perhaps they have a more delicious
flavor, are better textured, and are
formed more attractively. Take
into consideration the following
hints. Always sift the flour before
measuring. Too much flour makes
a heavy, ill-formed cookie. The
texture is greatly improved if the
oven is kept up to temperature as
one pan of cookies is removed and
another placed in the oven. Do not
bake a cookie too long. A chewi-
ness is usually desired. Use good
ingredients to produce a delicious
cookie. Special flavorings are a
must, but never forget that butter
is the best flavoring of all.
A Cookie for Every Day
in the Week
Jumbies
(4 or 5 dozen)
2/3 cup soft butter
y2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2% cups sifted flour
l/2 teaspoon soda
l/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup nuts, chopped
Cream well the butter, sugars, and
eggs. Add the milk and the vanilla.
Sift together the flour, soda, and salt.
Blend into the batter. Do not beat. Add
coconut and nuts. Drop with teaspoon
iy2 inches apart. Bake in a 375° F.
oven until light brown in color, about 8
minutes. Cookies are delicious frosted
with a browned-butter powdered sugar
icing.
No-Bake Brownies
(3 to 4 dozen)
iy2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
ll/A cups evaporated milk
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
2 to 3 cups miniature marshmallows
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup confectioner's sugar
y2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Melt the chocolate in the evaporated
milk over low heat, stirring until thick
and smooth. Remove from heat and
add to other ingredients. (Reserve y3
cup of the chocolate mixture for frost-
ing.) Turn into an 8x8 buttered pan.
Spread reserved chocolate mixture over
top. Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts.
Chill until ready to serve. Cut into small
squares.
Peanut Butter Quickies
(5 dozen)
V*
l
2
cup peanut butter
cup soft butter
cup granulated sugar
cup boiling water
teaspoon vanilla
cups Bisquick
Mix together the peanut butter, butter,
sugar, and boiling water. Add vanilla.
Beat with electric mixer until smooth.
Stir in the biscuit mix. Drop from tea-
spoon on cookie sheet and bake at 375°
F. for about 8 minutes. Bake carefully,
because these cookies burn easily.
Drop Brownies
(7 to 8 dozen)
1 cup butter
1% cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla
2l/2 cups sifted flour
y2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
y2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts
Beat until light and fluffy the butter,
sugar, and eggs. Add the cottage
cheese and beat thoroughly. Blend in
the vanilla, and gradually add the dry
ingredients sifted together. Add the
nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto baking
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10 minutes. When cool, frost with a
butter frosting. Sprinkle with nuts or
chocolate shot.
Refrigerator Cookies
(7 to 8 dozen)
y2 cup butter
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Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, and
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Drop by rounded teaspoons, 3 inches
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Bake in a 325° F. oven for about 5
minutes or until lightly browned. Allow
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Working quickly, loosen cookies; roll
around handle of wooden spoon. Place
on wire rack to cool. If it becomes
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return it to oven for a very short time.
Scotties
(6 dozen)
1 cup butter
y2 cup sugar
2y2 cups sifted flour
Cream the butter and sugar together
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flour and blend well. On lightly floured
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inch thick. Cut into 1-inch squares.
With spatula, transfer to baking sheet;
prick with a fork. Bake at 300° F. for
25 to 30 minutes. O
Improvement Era
Home, Sweet Home
• The words, "a penny for your
thoughts," deserve the answer,
"but they are worth a million
dollars." Our thoughts are our
private property. Once ex-
pressed, they never again belong
only to ourselves.
In a home, an individual's
privacy should be held inviolate.
Each child and parent should
A penny
for your
thoughts
Illustrated by
Phyllis Luch
have a place where he can go
and close a door against the
world. This, of course, doesn't
mean a separate bedroom for
each person, but it does mean
manipulating space and time so
each individual can find soli-
tude.
It is difficult to become ac-
quainted with oneself in a
crowd. It is almost impossible to
think through a problem and
come up with the right answer
with noise and confusion around.
Each one must get off by him-
self often in order to become a
whole person.
There is a great deal of to-
getherness in a happy home, but
this togetherness should be bal-
anced with privacy. A mother's
and father's job is to insure this
balance. A child is only secure if
he enjoys being in a group and
also by himself. O
May 1968
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71
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72
Genealogy in the Church
Since the publication of your excellent
article "The Era Asks About Genealogy
in the Church" [February], Brigham
Young University has added genealogy
research technology to the bachelor's de-
gree programs. The staff includes Nor-
man E. Wright, David H. Pratt, and V.
Ben Bloxham. This is believed to be the
first baccalaureate degree in genealogical
research in the U.S.
Paul Anthon Nielson
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah
I think Era readers will be interested to
know that Ricks College, the Church's
two-year junior college in Idaho, offers
a two-year associate degree in genealog-
ical research. Ricks College will sponsor
a two-day seminar this summer, June
27-28, featuring specialists from the
Genealogical Society of the Church.
Val D. Greenwood
Ricks College
Rexburg, Idaho
The Face of Job
How very nice to have such an unusual
cover for the February Era! I have
wanted a picture of Job for sometime,
and I have wondered just how he might
have looked. I wonder if there could be
more covers of biblical characters in the
future.
Atice H. Blackwell
Gaffney, South Carolina
These Times
As in the past, I found Brother G. Homer
Durham's March article, "Normative
Structures in the Universe," stimulating
and inspiring. In a time when I find my-
self tempted to follow those who see
very complex situations as either black
or white, right or wrong, and then at-
tempt to use the Church to defend their
personal biases— a time when I am
tempted to join the pharisees among us
who seek to emphasize the law and ignore
the Spirit and are all too anxious to place
Improvement Era
others in "compartments" and throw
stones— it is refreshing to read Brother
Durham's articles as well as many other
excellent articles found in the Era that
remind me that the Savior taught us to
understand and love and not to judge
and reject.
Steve F. Gilliland
Boston, Massachusetts
I have put off too long this letter of
appreciation for the consistently lucid
and often provocative essays by G. Homer
Durham. It is apparent as I read his
monthly contributions that Brother Dur-
ham selects with care timely issues of
considerable public importance. Since
such issues are by their very nature
controversial, it is to be expected that not
all readers would agree with the way they
are presented and interpreted by Brother
Durham. For my own part, I appreciate
his judicious personal insights.
Gary London
Seattle, Washington
"Son of Dineh"
The story "A Son of the Dineh" [March
"Era of Youth"] was so informative, and
helped answer our prayers. We have a
young Navajo boy in our home who at
times is ashamed of his people, and this
has been a hard subject for us to really
communicate with each other on. After
we read this article together, he no longer
hid his feelings about his people's tradi-
tions and about his inability to accept
and be proud of his Indian heritage. The
problem isn't solved yet, but at least the
story was a start toward his acceptance
of himself. Thanks.
Jo Ann Rupp
Salt Lake City
Servicemen Write
Since I became a member of the Church
seven years ago, I've wanted to take the
opportunity to thank all who have a
hand in the Era for the publication of a
wonderful magazine. I read it from cover
to cover and enjoy it very much, as I'm
sure others do. Now that I'm in the
service, I derive so much more satisfac-
tion from good literature to read.
Barry Dalton
APO San Francisco, California
I am an elder of the Church, serving in
Germany in the armed forces. Under
these conditions I do find myself de-
pressed. I have found whenever I get
depressed that just looking through the
Era really makes me feel great and in
good spirits again, and I find my troubles
forgotten by the time I start reading.
Shortly I find tears in my eyes due to the
messages presented in such a wonderful
way. My elders quorum purchased for
me a year's subscription to the Era, and
I shall always be grateful to them. The
magazine has helped me a great deal. I
wish that every bishop, branch president,
or elders quorum president would see to
it that every serviceman of their ward or
branch received the Era.
PFC Michael A. Searle
Munich, Germany
Era of Youth
What a tremendous satisfaction you
must receive each month as the Era goes
to press with another great "Era of
Youth" section. I keep thinking you'll
run out of ideas, but each issue seems
even more creative and timely than the
one before. In my fourteenth year of
teaching MIA I truly feel I need all the
help and new ideas I can find. The
"Era of Youth" is about the only extra
material I use anymore to supplement
our lesson manuals. No matter what I
need or want— pictures, poems, stories,
illustrations, or examples— you've always
thought of it first, and it's right there
waiting for me to use.
Lenore N. Cornwall
Salt Lake City
Richard L. Evans
The Spoken Word
Besides seeking counsel, which for all of us is so essential, there is
another side of the subject: taking time to listen so that we can give
counsel with a full enough knowledge of facts. "Lately I have
thought a lot about 'listening' . . . ," said Hannie Struve. "How often you
hear a little child complain . . . you're not listening!' And how easily the
mother replies, 'What do you want?' And mostly the child does not really
'want' anything, only to communicate. . . Z'1 Taking time to listen — to chil-
dren, young people, others! Sometimes they are reluctant to seek counsel
because they receive impatient replies. "Why do we parents so often say,
I'm busy now?" asked one thoughtful observer. "Why do we . . . not
realize that a child is like a sunbeam— here for a moment and then gone
somewhere else."2 Talking— listening— patience, willingness to learn
enough before jumping to quick conclusions. Sometimes in just letting
them talk and using us for listening, they will come soberly, safely to
their own conclusions. But when two people both talk at once, when
they cut each other short, or when they don't talk at all, there aren't likely
to be any satisfactory answers. Yes, it takes time to listen, but it takes
time to correct mistakes once they have been made. "Dear Lord, make
me a better parent," pleaded Gary Cleveland Myers. "Teach me to under-
stand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say, and to
answer all their questions kindly. Keep me from interrupting them, talk-
ing back to them, and contradicting them. Make me as courteous to
them as I would have them be to me."3 With too many misjudging, too
many making mistakes, with too few taking time to listen, counsel cannot
seem as satisfactory as it should. "The key is communication," said a
recent source. ' 'Can't you see I'm busy?' . . . ought to be banned [by
parents]. 'Listen' ought to be [implanted] over every parent's heart."4 If
only we could feel we have been heard! If only we would listen when
we should!
^Hannie Struve, Sunrise Magazine, July 1967.
2Robert M. Neal, "I Get to KNOW My Boy," Parents' Magazine, February 1946.
sGary Cleveland Myers, "A Parent's Prayer."
i"On Being an American Parent," Time, December 15, 1967.
* "The Spoken Word" from Temple Square, presented over KSL and the Columbia
Broadcasting System March 3, 1968. Copyright 1968.
May 1968
73
This is
one place
we teach
you not
to fiddle!
We enrolled a lot of young men and
women last spring who stopped fiddling
and learned quite a few things about
their chosen profession.
Why our interest in these bright young
people?
We need as many as we can get to fill
the increasing demand from industries
all over the West who prefer graduates
from Utah Technical College at Prove
Check the course offerings below, then
write us for your free brochure and
registration details.
Aircraft instrument repair, auto body,
auto mechanics, building construction,
business and secretarial science, com-
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UTAH
TECHNICAL
COLLEGE
at Provo
Clip and mail this
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all about this great
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Utah Technical College at Provo
P.O. Box 1009 Provo, Utah 84601
Gentlemen:
Please send me your FREE brochure and complete
registration information.
Name
Address.
City
.State.
Zip.
The Church
A/loves On
74
February 1968
Las Vegas (Nevada) Central
Stake was organized under the
direction of Elder Howard W. Hunter
of the Council of the Twelve and Presi-
dent Marion D. Hanks of the First
Council of the Seventy from parts of
the Las Vegas North Stake. Samuel M.
Davis was sustained president of the
stake with Arden J. Sampson and
Harold D. Johnson as counselors. This
is the 451st stake of the Church now
functioning.
New stake presidencies: President
James Kent Seastrand and counselors
Willard Kowallis and Marvin L. White,
Las Vegas North Stake; President
Charles L. Welling and counselors
Irving W. Abbott and Larry K. Brown,
Alaska Stake; President Wayne Lewis
Allison and counselors David Hanne-
mann and Ross Sorensen, Oahu
(Hawaii) Stake.
PH The First Presidency announced
the appointment of Charles W.
Nibley III of North Hollywood, Cali-
fornia, as president of the Southern
States Mission, succeeding President
Ray B. Evanson.
The appointments of D. Gordon Pax-
man, Ralph G. Rodgers, Jr., David R.
Veit, and Ronald Q. Frederickson to the
general board of the Young Men's
Mutual Improvement Association were
announced.
The Provo City Commission
passed an ordinance annexing
the proposed Provo Temple site and
parts of the Brigham Young University
auxiliary services complex.
New stake presidency: President
Henry C. Gorton and counselors Leo E.
Bendixen and Jess Boyd Eskridge,
Columbus (Ohio) Stake.
March 1968
Elder Kenneth Milo House, 20,
Ogden, Utah, serving in the
Great Lakes Mission, died early this
morning following a head-on collision
at Wyandotte, Michigan. His com-
panion, Elder Blaine A. Cherry, Cald-
well, Idaho, was hospitalized.
Huntsville (Alabama) Stake, 452nd
now functioning, was created from por-
tions of the Southern States Mission
by Elder Harold B. Lee of the Council
of the Twelve and Elder EIRay L. Chris-
tiansen, Assistant to the Twelve. Ray-
mond D. McCurdy was sustained as
stake president with William R. Bulling-
ton and Wesley B. Morgan as coun-
selors.
The Argentine government con-
firmed today that visas are being
denied to 200 Mormon missionaries
from the United States. Hector Rafael
Oligado, spokesman for the Argentine
government, said the visas were being
denied because Argentina is a Roman
Catholic country. "It's for Argentines,
and not foreigners, to handle matters
pertaining to the spirit of the people,"
he said.
The Lake
By Virginia Scott Miner
A century or so ago the lake
Lapped at the foot of the hill.
Now for fifty yards it is green —
A tunnel of path lit here and
there
By black-eyed Susans,
Leaving the benison of water
In a spring at the foot of the hill.
The lake is a lesson in how
To be diminished gracefully,
Saying that beauties are not
More or less so much as simply
Different.
Improvement Era
Seventy teams, playing in eight
gymnasiums in the Salt Lake
Valley, began the annual all-Church
basketball tournament. Last evening at
devotional services at the Tabernacle
the players and coaches were ad-
dressed by President N. Eldon Tanner
of the First Presidency and Elder Alvin
R. Dyer.
Buenos Aires newspaper La
Prensa wrote in an editorial that
the denial of visas to Mormon mission-
aries violates Argentina's constitutional
rights to freedom of religion. There are
some 17,000 members of the Church
in Argentina.
The Argentine ambassador to the
United States and the U. S. State
Department indicated a favorable so-
lution is expected to be worked out to
end the withholding of visas to Mormon
missionaries. Senator Frank E. Moss
of Utah quoted Ambassador Alsogaray
as saying: "The situation arose as a
result of a misunderstanding, and I
assure you, in a matter of days we will
return to the same policy our country
has always followed."
Holladay (Salt Lake County)
Third won the senior division of
the all-Church basketball tournament
by defeating Baldwin Park (California),
75-68. Glenwood (Utah) placed third;
American Fork (Utah) Twelfth, fourth;
Mesa (Arizona) First, fifth and sports-
manship; and Perry (Utah), sixth.
South Weber (Utah) defeated Ben-
nion (Salt Lake County) for the junior
division title, 50-40. Sugar City (Idaho)
placed third and sportsmanship; Whit-
tier (California) Seventh, fourth; Tre-
monton (Utah) Third, fifth; and
Phoenix (Arizona) Sixth, sixth.
Brigham Young University Third won
the college ward division from Univer-
sity of Utah Sixth, 87-71. Berkeley
placed third; Ricks Eighth, fourth; Ari-
zona State Second, fifth; and College
of Southern Utah Second, sixth.
For the past week the various
units of Relief Society have been
holding special anniversary programs
commemorating the founding of the
first Relief Society at Nauvoo, Illinois,
March 17, 1842 — 126 years ago today.
Beginning with 18 women, Relief Society
now numbers almost 300,000.
President David 0. McKay was
presented the Exemplary Man-
hood Award by students of Brigham
Young University. The award was pre-
sented to him at his Salt Lake City
apartment. His son, Dr. Edward R.
McKay, represented him at the presen-
tation program on the campus. O
Richard L. Evans
The Spoken Word
Who is man that he should forget?
However fast and far we may have moved, however much we may
have done or made, there are ever and always unanswered ques-
tions—searching: for purpose, for meaning, for assurance. And ever
and always there is need for the simple essentials: happiness, health, loved
ones; duty, decency; service, sincerity. And add to all of these humility-
humility that comes with knowing how little we know of all there is to
know. We discover a little, we control some things, sometimes, in some
degree. But nature, the weather, the seasons; time, the tides; age, illness;
life and death, take us where they will, with all our little words and
wisdom, in the little parts we play, and with the search unceasing, for
truth and for ultimate answers. Who knows how two cells join and divide
—some to become an eye, some a tooth, some the hair of the head? Who
can make a seed that will grow, or a blade of grass, a worm, or a single
living cell? Who can answer the questions God asked of Job so many
centuries ago: "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the
earth? When ... all the sons of God shouted for joy? . . . declare, if
thou hast understanding. ... Where is the way where light dwelleth? . . .
Who hath [caused] it to rain on the earth. . . ? Knowest thou the ordi-
nances of heaven? . . . Hast thou given the horse strength? . . . Doth the
hawk fly by thy wisdom . . . ? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts?"1
Who gave the body power to heal itself? Who gave instinct to animals?
What would we do if spring didn't come, if seeds didn't grow, if we
didn't have our harvest? Men have done much, learned much, dis-
covered much, but not enough to justify conceit. And against all sophistry
and self-sufficiency, we still are children before an Infinite Father— with
all our need for happiness, health, humility, loved ones, duty, decency,
service, sincerity. And to the classic question, "What is man, that thou
are mindful of him?"2 there is yet another: Who is man that he should
forget?
ijob 38, 39.
2Psalm 8:4.
* "The Spoken Word" from Temple Square, presented over KSL and the Columbia
Broadcasting System February 18, 1968. Copyright 1968.
May 1968
75
■■■■■■, ■:■■ ■■
Union Pacific
Railroad
is important
to you
for many
reasons
In May we'll be 99 years old!. . . as it was on
May 10, 1869 that the historic "Driving of
the Golden Spike," which joined the rails of
Union Pacific with the Central Pacific, created
America's first transcontinental railroad unit-
ing the East and the West.
Technically, we're a little older than that, as
it was on July 1, 1862 that President Abraham
Lincoln signed the first of the Pacific Railroad
Acts authorizing the construction of the Union
Pacific Railroad.
But the important point is that, through all
these years, Union Pacific has shared in the
growth and development of the states it serves,
and continues to do so today. In fact, even
more so.
The money we spend for wages, supplies and
equipment helps the economy of the area —
benefits you either directly or indirectly.
The money we pay in taxes also benefits you,
by lowering your tax payments.
Union Pacific prides itself on being a good
citizen of the thirteen Western states it serves.
We're proud of our accomplishments ... we
have great plans for the future . . . and we
pledge our best efforts to continue to be an
important factor in the growth and progress
of the West.
GATEWAY TO AND FROM
THE BOOMING WEST
UIMIOIM PACIFIC RAILROAD
76
Improvement Era
The
British
These Times
By Dr. G. Homer Durham
President, Arizona State University
• Two years ago this column as-
serted that "Diego Garcia, an
atoll, may become a new Anglo-
American link in the effort to
transmute the nineteenth century's
security system into the twenty-
first century's needs." ("Diego
Garcia and the Indian Ocean,"
"These Times," April 1966.) Since
January 16, 1968, that sentence
may well be rewritten, dropping
the prefix "Anglo" from the
"Anglo-American link."
On January 16, 1968, Her
Majesty's Government announced
that by December 31, 1971, all
British bases outside Europe and
the Mediterranean will be closed,
except for a small "police" con-
tingent in Hong Kong. Nearly
52,000 British servicemen are to
be brought home. Hong Kong may
retain the 6,000 Gurkha merce-
naries I saw deployed in the "New
Territories," adjacent to the Red
Chinese border, during my visit in
1965. The following bases are to
be demobilized by British forces:
Singapore, Bahrein, and Sharjah
(Persian Gulf). Between Singapore
and Bahrein lies the Indian Ocean.
Suez has already passed to the
United Arab Republic (Egypt). At
the mouth of the Red Sea, Aden,
with 10,000 British troops, was
evacuated last December.
These actions are a conse-
quence of the declining economic
strength of the island kingdom.
Britain came to the point, follow-
ing devaluation of the pound, from
which further costs of overseas
bases could not be met. The ac-
tion places the United States of
America at another critical cross-
road.
British cutbacks were predict-
able after 1919. Former crown
colonies had become "Dominions"
and then independent members of
the family of nations by the time
of the 1931 Statute of Westmin-
ster. After 1945, British India
and Burma became independent
May 1968
MUSIC COMPANY
VISIT OUR
NEW HOME
Everything is new. The
music selection for church,
home, and school has been
greatly expanded. This is a
special invitation to all of
you music lovers from out
of town to visit us this com-
ing June Conference.
You will enjoy our new
facilities. Come in and
browse. Let us help you in
all of your musical needs.
NEW ADDRESS
65 South West Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Phone: 364-6518
ON ITS WAY
FROM DENMARK!!
Missionaries that have work-
ed in Denmark, knows that
LAPOMME is the Mormons
favorite drink. Made of select-
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apples.-
A really fashionated drink with none
alcoholic!
P.S. We still need represending in
some of the states - if interest con-
tact: A. Rytz, Runebergs Alle 1,
2860 Soeborg, Denmark.
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Stopped Smoking
NEW YORK — The Anti-Tobacco Center of
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GEORGE WEBB SALES CO.
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78
Burma, India, Pakistan, and Cey-
lon. British Africa became a score
of new African nations. The life-
line, the commercial skill, the
English language and culture, the
symbolism of the Crown became
faint links of nineteenth century
empire. South Africa, Burma, and
Eire broke away altogether. Suez,
Cyprus, and Malta were lost or
reconstituted. Gibraltar's return
was demanded by Spain.
The American Greek-Turkish
aid program, the "Truman Doc-
trine" of 1946, and the Marshall
Plan of 1947-48 were the initial
American responses to British
withdrawal. But now the last
British military, naval, and air
"presence" is gone.
In "Diego Garcia and the Indian
Ocean," it was stated that "war in
Vietnam takes place in this con-
text. . . ." Will the American
"presence" in Vietnam lead to
bases elsewhere in the Asia-
Africa-Indian Ocean area?
Since assuming some previous
British responsibilities after 1945,
American foreign policy has fol-
lowed two tracks and one "sound
truck," so to speak, in construct-
ing a global security system. The
"sound truck," of course, has
been the United Nations, a mixed
effort and experience in interna-
tional organization. This inter-
national "sound truck," with its
cacophony from all members, has
served many important purposes.
But it has not represented the
main thrust of American power,
nor of the power of other states
possessing that commodity.
The main thrust of American
power has gone down the two
tracks. Track one was to support
and assume the global responsi-
bilities of the British, the French,
the Dutch, and the Portuguese —
in one degree or another. Thus
American naval and air bases
bloomed all over the world. "SAC"
(the Strategic Air Command) un-
dertook , its daily missions of
"deterrence." Global surveillance
by U-2s, later the satellites, and
electronic "spy ships" were em-
ployed. Military aid and "mutual
assistance" pacts were developed:
NATO, SEATO, and the rest. This
has been costly for the military
expenditures both at home and
abroad.
Efforts down track one at-
tempted to supplant the British-
European global system, without
incurring the wrath and ill will of
the peoples who strived to throw
off the European ties to gain their
own independence. This has been
an almost impossible task. But
America has tried. It has con-
structed, since 1946, an entirely
new system of cultural and educa-
tional exchange of economic aid,
the Point Four of President Tru-
man's 1946 policy. This leads us
to track two.
Track two has seen the export
of American technical assistance,
loans, and grants — military and
economic, educational and cul-
tural— in an effort to help the
former colonies stand on their
own feet. This has been expensive.
But in the process thousands of
Americans have learned a great
deal — in Ghana, Pakistan, Libya,
and throughout the non-Commu-
nist world.
Now comes the bitter test of
American policy, especially in the
areas to be abandoned by the last
British outposts. Will the new
nations stand? Can they resist
encroachment by others?
The Russians and the Red
Chinese are close at hand. Chinese
junks plied the Indian Ocean, the
Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea for
thousands of years before the
British came. Can tension be-
tween the United States, Russia,
China, the SEATO and the Col-
ombo (economic) Plan powers
Improvement Era
provide an equilibrium in which
Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan,
India, Burma, Afghanistan, Iran,
and the Arabian States can main-
tain independence? (It should be
remembered that British defense
treaties with the oil-rich sheik-
doms of Arabia, including Kuwait,
are also being cancelled.)
The British cutbacks of 1968
cast the Vietnam war in the light
of global strategy. American ac-
tion or withdrawal becomes more
difficult — not sentimentally, but
actually. Accumulated interests
and pressures from the West have
built up since the sixteenth cen-
tury. I saw Red Chinese trade
missions in East Africa in the
summer of 1966, as well as Libby,
McNeill, and Libby salesmen from
the West.
Will American interests, includ-
ing oil, permit a Russian or Chi-
nese defense agreement with
Kuwait or Bahrein? Russian aid,
as Egypt required for the Aswan
Dam? Or will the United States be
forced into the British defense
role in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf,
Indian Ocean area? Are we not
already committed without physi-
cal bases? Can the United States
afford it?
With the export of dollars flow-
ing rapidly through private as well
as governmental channels, the
question is more than academic.
A more important question exists.
What is wise and best? For the
immediate future we can expect
any American administration to
"pick up" the remaining British
commitments in whatever ways are
available. But Asia is an economic
sinkhole. The internal depth and
capacity of its poverty may require
more than the fantastic American
economy can ever pump into it.
The new Asian and African nations
must be encouraged to stand on
their own feet. The United Nations
"sound truck" must slowly be re-
May 1968
fashioned into a real "track" for
a variety of international, coopera-
tive systems. Otherwise the load
on the United States may be more
than can be carried. America must
also conserve and build its own
strength and capacity.
Rudyard Kiplingwas an English-
man whose words America must
not forget:
"Far-called, our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the
fire;
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget."
On a beautiful June evening in
1966, the British embassy in
Tripoli, Kingdom of Libya, was
celebrating the Queen's birthday.
The diplomatic corps, representing
all nations at the Libyan capital,
was there. The sun was setting.
Near the banks of the blue Medi-
terranean stood the tall flagpole,
bearing the Union Jack. Her
Majesty's ambassador stood on
the veranda, overlooking the ver-
dant grounds. He politely called
for attention. He made a graceful
little speech, offering a toast to
King Isdris and the toast to Her
Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. Then
we stood at attention as the colors,
the Union Jack, were retired for
the coming night. There was no
Marine Band, nor Black Watch
pipes, nor Horse Guards' riding
musicians. It was a new age. The
national anthem, "God Save the
Queen," was played on a phono-
graph record and on a small
machine. As a descendant of
Englishmen, and an American in-
heritor of what came to be English
liberty under the law, a lump came
to my throat. I surveyed the scene
as the Union Jack came down,
there in the Libyan desert, by the
edge of the sea. "God save the
Queen," I thought. I also thought,
"God save the United States!" O
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79
End of an Era
«
»
A mission had been in the mind
of our son since he was old enough
to plan, so when his call came
to go to South Germany, excitement
ran high. The weeks to follow
were crowded with memorizing
lessons, medical and dental
appointments, shopping, obtaining
a passport, and numerous other
activities. With a head full of
missionary thoughts, he stopped at
the bank one day to buy travelers'
checks. "What denomination?"
asked the bank teller. "LDS."
"What?" "Oh," the missionary
looked chagrined, "Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
When the teller still looked
puzzled, he suddenly blushed as he
realized what denomination he
meant. "Ten dollars, please!"
— Mrs. Gloria Barber, Pasco,
Washington
Illustrated by Ted Nagata
""•"""•"•••••••••••••••••••••••
t
#
t
• ••
Men. are what their mothers
made them. — Ralph Waldo
Emerson
With parenthood such a glorious
experience, how important it is
that we have reverence for it.
— Elder Boyd K. Packer
A country minister- posted this
notice on the church door:
"Brother Smith departed for
heaven at U:SO p.m." The next
day he found penciled below
his note: "Heaven, 9:00 a.m.:
Smith not in yet — great
anxiety."
A man asked to be excused
from jury duty because he was
deaf in one ear. "I don't think
that will matter," said the judge.
"We hear only one side of a
case at a time."
My four-year-old son, in a
pensive mood, asked, "Do you
like everybody in the world,
Mommy?" "I like most people,"
I answered. Still thoughtful,
he said, "I guess I don't love
everybody in the world, but I
love everybody in my life."
— Mrs. J. C. Russler, Jr.,
Huntsville, Alabama
Blessed are they who have nothing
to say, and who cannot be
persuaded to say it.
— James Russell Lowell
There were the centuries
of the dark ages when the
heavens were as iron, when there
were no revelations recorded;
but more than a century ago,
the iron ceiling was shattered,
since which time revelations
have been continuous.
— Elder Spencer W. Kimball
'Twixt optimist and pessimist
The difference is droll:
The optimist sees the doughnut,
The pessimist, the hole.
— McLandburgh Wilson
'End of an Era" will pay $3 for humorous anecdotes and experiences relating to Latter-day Saint way of life. Maximum length 150 words.
80
Improvement Era
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